Heartless to Heartfelt (2,0)
by SmallTimeWriter
Summary: Daggered and buried deep beneath the ocean's surface by those he loved and called family. Nine years passed by filled with a torturous sleep with images of the child he never got to meet. Awakened by those who searched for him but changed forever. Can he forgive those who wronged him when a threat larger then they could have anticipated appears?
1. Prologue

**Heartless to Heartfelt (2.0)**

 **Authors Note/Disclaimer: Obviously I do not own The Originals, that credit is due to go to the writers/creators.  
Nor do I own the cover image, which came from Pinterest, I just added the writing. **

**.**

 **Summary: Daggered and buried deep beneath the ocean's surface by those he loved and called family. Nine years passed by filled with a torturous sleep with images of the child he never got to meet. Awakened by those who searched for him but changed forever. Can he forgive those who wronged him when a threat larger then they could have anticipated appears?**

* * *

 **Prologue:**

Klaus stared at the ceiling listening to the chants of his enemies surrounding him, some of which wanted him to die, some wished for him to live and then there was the majority that wished for him to suffer a tremendous amount just as they had. He blinked feeling the blade of the dagger touching his skin, it terrified him, the thought of what was coming yet he knew he never had a choice. He was doing has he had always done, he was protecting his family even if it meant that he would have to suffer.

He wanted to close his eyes but he fought the need instead turning his head slightly to the left and that was where he saw her watching. The horror in her eyes, the fear. He wanted to sooth her; assure her that this motion was exactly what needed to occur and then it hit him like a piano falling from the sky, the way the tears trailed down her cheeks, he realised in that moment as the dagger started to tear through his chest and the screams erupted, that he still cared.  
He watched as she closed her eyes shielding herself from what was occurring in front of her, an image that he was certain she never wanted to see.

" _It will be alright. Everything will be set straight in time"_

He spoke the words to himself over in his mind as the skin begun to close over the blade, agonising pain ripping through his body as he fought to bring the very image to the front of his mind. His family standing together as one.

His girls.  
His son.  
Cami.  
His brothers.  
His sisters.

They stood together in the picture, smiling, peaceful as though the world had not just ripped them apart. This moment was the one he wished to remember as he felt his body being placed on the concrete. He wanted to remember the good, before his mind was consumed by the bad and he was forced to remember that he'd lost everything not once but now twice. Everything that ever mattered gone and he was alone, alone to face the darkness that he thought he could bury.

As he felt the last of the skin close over a tear slid down his cheek knowing that returning to her life had proved them all right. His enemies had destroyed everything they had and left his daughter all alone.

* * *

 **Thoughts?**

 **Alright, this is the prologue which is giving you a sneak peek into the future of Heartless to Heartfelt 2. The first chapter will follow this in two days just so I can see everyone's responses; I need to know if it is going to be worth the time to upload since I take time out of my nights to write this.  
But I need to let you all know that I have been working hard on this, mixing new with old and trying to reshape. It's far from perfect but nothing is ever. I do hope you all enjoy it, if you pick up on the changes then share your thoughts. The old version will stay up so that you can go back and look whenever you please. **

**I think that is all I have to say apart from this is a do over and in this I have taken into consideration everything you guys have said through reviews and pm's. I have recreated this not just for myself but for you all because you deserve it for being so loyal. I was just completely stumped with the last chapter of the previous Heartless to Heartfelt and I couldn't seem to lift off, this allows me to start fresh.**

 **Enough rambling from me. Enjoy this, if all stays well you can expect a new chapter every second day (Maybe some sneaky ones trickling in along the way)**

 **Much Love. x**


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter One:**

He could feel the icy cold water surrounding his body, filling his lungs as he was drowned repeatedly though never fully aware of what was happening until it felt as though he was being suffocated from the inside again. The ache of the dagger in his chest felt like it was trying to burn a hole inside him slowly. He knew they thought the dagger would put him to sleep, they weren't aware that he would be somewhat conscious, not enough to move or even open his eyes but enough to know that he was lost.  
Images seemed to float through his mind as he tried to piece together an image of what he thought his daughter would look like, how long had it been? Was she a baby, a child, a teenager, or was she grown now? Did he miss it all?

Hate had consumed him then faded. No room for anger when all that could be felt was despair. He'd lost it all, not that he was sure he even had it to begin with. Betrayed by the family that he loved, the family that vowed _always and forever_ , a vow that was no longer intact. A part of him now understood that they must have felt this way upon waking from one of his daggerings, what they would never know was that he had only ever daggered them out of fear for their safety never once for a moment had it been revenge.

" _Are we sure this is our only option, aren't we going to question if this is the right thing to do?"_

" _Do you not agree with this decision, sister?"_

" _I thought as a family we would at least question our motives. This life that we lead, however free we will be, it will one day come to an end when he wakes. I need to know that this is our only option because once we do this; once we get rid of him it seals our fate. When he awakens…"_

" _Rebekah…"_

" _Do not interrupt, Freya. You do not know Nik as I do. He is a fighter and he will one day be free and when that day comes we need to be prepared for the catastrophic war that it will cause. You see, once this is done there will be no turning back. We will be the siblings that betrayed him"_

" _Life will be better without him. Niklaus is what kept us bound to New Orleans. By taking him from the equation we will be freeing ourselves from his enemies. We will be able to start fresh and give Hayley's daughter a chance to grow up uninfluenced by the evil that is our brother"_

" _I have to agree with Freya. I must put my daughter first. She will never be safe with her father around, not just from him but all the enemies he has made. She must come first"_

" _By doing this we will make an enemy out of Nik"_

" _Are you having second thoughts Rebekah? If we are to do this we must all agree"_

" _No Elijah, no second thoughts. I am simply stating the facts. From this point forward Nik will hate us"_

" _Then it is settled. Goodbye brother"_

He remembered every word as though it was spoken into his ear, they might not have known it at the time but he had been able to hear every word they spoke.

 **/~/~/**

"Are you sure about this?"

"I have to be, the magic is stronger like it is trying to pull me under" She glanced over the edge of the boat, the water lapping at the sides, the smell of salt was sickening as though it worsened the further out to sea they got. "There is only one way to find out"

"Stop, you cannot dive into the ocean. Not again"

She rolled her eyes at his never fading big brother act. "Technically last time I didn't dive, it was a cannon ball, the time before that was a dive"

"You two are going to give me a headache. Can you not use your magic to recover him?"

"Vampires can't get headaches but yeah, I guess I could"

"Wait; are you about to say all along you could have used your magic to search the parts of the ocean?"

The grin was one of pure cheekiness, like she knew just how to get him all riled up. "It was more fun to search it by going under. I am able to hold my breath and see all that there is to see"

"Let's find him so he can deal with you. Another year of this and I might be the first vampire to die of an aneurism"

"Again, impossible for a vampire but sure, I can search it now" She stepped so her body was leaning against the railing, her hands out over the boat she begun to chant loudly. The water crashed against the side of the boat splashing up and spraying them. The salt smell becoming stronger as the water turned beneath them creating a gaping hole to the right of the boat. "I found him!" Her words were loud, spoken clearly but it took a moment for anyone to register what she was actually saying. This was the moment they had been waiting for, nine years of searching all boiling down to this exact moment. "Here it comes" She chanted a little louder, trying to place as much energy into her magic as the coffin came through the waterhole and suspended in midair by her spell.

"Lower it onto the boat" He grabbed the bolt cutters that were leant up against some crates and waited as she lowered it to the floor of the boat before he sprung into action and cut the heavy duty chain that was keeping the coffin locked securely.

"I did it. I found him" The words breathed out quietly, nine years of failures only for this time to be a success.

 **...**

Blood.

The smell was intoxicating as the red substance slid down his dry throat attempting to sooth the hunger that was consuming his body at the smell of blood. He did not attempt to open his eyes until he had drained every last drop from the bag. He waited until he heard the bag being tossed to the side before he tried to sit up, opening his eyes he squinted. The brightness was over bearing, the smell of salt seemed to burn its way into his body. "What…" His voice sounded scratchy and he tried to clear his throat.

"Here. You'll need these"

He looked down at the two bags of blood that landed in his lap, his hands seemed to move at their own pace as he ripped the bag open. His brain in total control of his body without any thought from him. The substance moving passed his lips and down his throat making him moan with pleasure his right hand squeezed the bag dry, it smelt like heaven. "What are you doing here? How long has it been?" He had been fading in and out never able to keep track of how long he had been underwater, drowning but he knew time must have passed.

"I said I would find you and I did, it has taken a little longer than anticipated though"

He finished the draining the last of the blood bags, dumping them outside the coffin as he moved to stand up. He was still weak; his body not reaching its full potential but that was to be expected. Blood bags satisfied him for the moment but he wanted to drink from the vein, his body was practically begging for it. "How long has it been?" He repeated the question.

"Nine years"

Klaus breathed in sharply, that had been longer than he anticipated but he had daggered his siblings longer then that at times. "You haven't changed, the transition worked?"

"Of course. I did as I told you I would do. This way they cannot ask for anything else"

"Klaus, how do you feel?"

Klaus breathed in the fresh air, stretching his arms. "How do I feel?" He turned to look at them properly, shocked to see three people standing before him instead of two. His eyes wondered over her, taking in every feature of her body. Just over nine years since he had seen her face, not that he had expected to ever again. "I…Cami" The name left his lips unexpectedly; he had forgotten how it rolled off his tongue.

Cami didn't hesitate for one moment; she had been waiting for this reunion since she returned to New Orleans to find him missing. Placing her right hand on the side of his face she leaned up and placed a light kiss to his lips. "Don't ever do that to me again. When I found out you were missing I was scared I would never find you" Leaning up she kissed him again, this time the kiss deepening.

Klaus wasn't sure what was happening but he held her close and kissed her back, taking the moment for all that it was worth. When he watched her leave the first time he knew that if she ever came back he would never let the moment slip again. "Not that I am ungrateful but Cami you're a…"

"Vampire, yes" She moved away from him slightly but he grabbed a hold of her hand to keep the physical contact. "You have a lot to learn about"

"Now we've found you…"

"You mean I found him"

Klaus moved his gaze from Cami to the young witch, ex-witch he supposed since she was now forever frozen at sixteen and it was impossible to be both a witch and a vampire. "I never doubted you either, Davina. A vampire, love, it is certainly a change"

Davina grinned, since he had been asleep for the past nine years he knew nothing of the transition she had gone through. "Well I'm not just a vampire" She winked, her eyes lighting up at his confusion. "I'll explain it all later" There had once been a time when she had not been fond of Niklaus Mikaelson but upon Kol's death things had changed. He was there for her when everyone forgot that she was grieving for her love.

"Uh, let me just state that I helped where I could"

Davina giggled. "By that he means, he ran your kingdom while you were on…let's call it a temporary leave. He's quite comfortable I don't think he'll want to give it up"

Marcel nudged Davina. "Because running a city is easy work, D, I will happily hand it over"

Klaus looked at the man he had once held in regard to a son, the same man he still did. "Marcellus, thank-you" The three stared at him in shock as if they had never heard the words leave his mouth before. "Don't gawk; I am capable of having manners. I am starved though; shall we get off this boat?"

Cami looked up at him, unsure of how to approach the subject, he hadn't asked and she didn't want to anger him but the name needed to be spoken. "Klaus, do you want to know? Are you going to ask about…Hope?"

"Hope" The name dropped from his lips. His daughter had a name, a name fitting for a princess but a name that he had not been there to help chose. He had not wanted a child at first, there had been no reason for him to need a child but when the threats started to loom it was like reality set in. Even though she wasn't born he had known that every inch of his being had to protect her and he was willingly to sacrifice his own life. But people, circumstances got in the way and she was taken from him before she even had a chance to take her first breath. So while he wanted to ask, he didn't because he couldn't bear to listen to the life his little girl had without him.

"Let's give him some time, ladies. Let's go get a drink"

A drink. That he could handle, he just needed to gain his feet. Surprised he felt Davina loop her arm through his, his left arm still wrapped around Cami's shoulders. "A drink, good idea Marcellus"

 **/~/~/**

Davina glanced at Marcel as they walked along the pavement back towards the compound; they had been backs on dry land a little over an hour but instead of crowding the place they called home they left to give Cami and Klaus a few moments to themselves knowing that they would need to talk.  
Knowing that he was safe, that the past nine years of trying to find him were over was a relief, it felt like she could finally breath again after completing a mission but her mind wouldn't shake the thoughts of all that they still had going on. "Should we tell him? It isn't right to keep it from him" Davina spoke the words knowing that Marcel would automatically know what she was talking about.

Marcel stopped in his tracks, the compound was in his view but he knew they could not enter with this conversation between them, not when Klaus could overhear it. "It is nothing more than a rumour, until we have some reason to believe that…"

"Marcel this is something he would want to know about"

He knew that she was right, he would want to know what he was facing, what they had been battling with the last nine years but he couldn't bring himself to tell the man that raised him what he knew. "We don't know if it is true, we've heard the rumours and yet nothing has been acted upon in the last night years" He saw the unsure in her eyes, the vulnerable look. "Hey D, listen, let's just give him this time with Cami. He deserves it; he doesn't need to be thinking about battle now"

She turned her head, staring at the upper level of the compound. It didn't sit right with her, keeping something of importance from him, knowing that if he did find out he would surely be angry and they would endure his wrath but her heart tugged a little when she saw the shadows of him through the window. Maybe they didn't need to tell him right away, just a few weeks to allow him the time to heal. "And the other thing…"

"It didn't work, no need to upset him over something that never came to light" He wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "Come on D, just revel in the moment. We brought him home, against all odds Klaus is back with us. Take this as a win"

Davina bit her bottom lip, turning away from the window to look back at him. "If this is a win then how come I feel like it is the beginning of a war?" She leaned her head on his shoulder as they started to move again, their footsteps heard on the pavement.

"Enjoy the moment" He mumbled to her as they got closer. "If there is one thing I know about the Mikaelson family, it is that nothing ever stays quiet and peaceful, there is always something lurking about. Don't worry about things you can't control. In a few months if what we know is to come then we will tell him, we'll prepare and we'll fight, like always"

 **/~/~/**

Every thought running through his mind since her name had been brought up had been of her. He couldn't shake the knowledge that he had lost nine years of time with her, that she no longer had use for a crib like the one he was currently standing above. His daughter was no longer a baby; she was a child, a young girl full of wonder. Nine years of her life missed by a choice his family had made.  
He was outraged by their choice but he did not feel like he needed to go on a murder spree, which would have originally been his first thought nine years ago. Now the anger was accompanied by hurt and sorrow. He had done what Elijah and Rebekah had always wanted, he had redeemed himself though they knew nothing of it and they would now never now.

He heard the creaking of the door from behind him and he placed his glass of bourbon to his lips, taking a sip of from the glass that was laced with human blood to help ease the hunger.

"There you are, Klaus, I've been looking for you"

"I didn't go far, love"

Cami leaned against the wall observing him from the other side of the room. She was on edge, Davina and Marcel were too. They were waiting for his temper to arise, for him to demand that they seek out his child and family so that he could enact some plan of revenge. This side of him was not at all what they were used to; he seemed to be lost in thought. "Klaus talk to me"

"There is nothing to say, Camille" He turned around to look at her, his hand on the railing of the crib. "How have you come to be here? You were far away from New Orleans when…"

Cami smiled, taking a step towards him. "I came back for you"

It took him by surprise, not something he had anticipated hearing from her mouth. When he had compelled her to leave the last thing he had ever expected was to hear that she had come back to New Orleans for him. He had wanted her safe and away from the drama which was exactly why he had compelled her to forget that he ever existed. Klaus was certain that he would not be responsible for her death. "Why?"

Cami placed her hand on his arm, her fingertips caressing his skin. "Because when that dagger entered your chest it was like a part of me was put to sleep as well" She closed her eyes, the images running through her mind of the first three days curled in bed crying. "There was this tugging on my heart, like strings pulling me back to New Orleans so I came. Marcel saw me on the streets brought me back here and Davina tore every last ounce of compulsion from my body and I remembered it all. You sent me away because you loved me, that is the truth isn't it?"

He blinked, his hand lifting from the railing of the crib and cupping her cheek. "The truth is I could not be responsible if any harm came to you. You are…"

Cami could see it in his eyes, the struggle to form the words. "You don't need to say it, Klaus, not now. You have just woken from a nine year slumber"

"Did you move in here?" He breathed deeply, changing the subject from their relationship. ""Davina and Marcel claimed that they moved in here while they searched for me"

"I did, will you believe me if I say I slept in your bed every night that you were gone?"

A small confident smirk crossed his lips. "I would"

"You bonded with Davina. Before I left I remembered nothing other than hatred, there was a lot of that around"

Klaus placed a hand gently on her back to lead her out of the room, taking one more longing glance at the crib. Cami and her questions would keep him sane for a little longer. "I did not expect to bond with the little witch after Kol's death. She needed someone, that person just happened to be me" He mentioned nothing of the promise he had made himself after his brothers demise, there had always been an understanding between him and Kol, he knew that he did not need to exchange words with his brother, he just needed to act.

"Davina searched day and night for you, Marcel often teased her over her devotion to the task. She looks up to you, sees you as a father figure which leads me to believe it was more than a little bit of bonding"

"I am not sure I am the right person for her to see as a father" He closed the doors to the bedroom behind them. "I have not been there for my daughter"

"The last nine years have not been in your control, if they had been then you would have been there for Hope" Cami's heels clicked along the floor as they walked towards the stairs. "We can find her, if you want…"

He raised his eyebrow, glancing out the corner of his eye to look at her. "I thought you would be tracking her"

"We had a slight dilemma. We know that she is safe, a bright and happy young girl. Very smart, apparently looks quite a bit like her mother with a hint of you within her features"

"I do not understand, why would we need to find her…"

"To keep her safe I had to place a cloaking spell over her, over the family. I can lift it and we can find them but I…"

Klaus stepped into the dining room, his eyes immediately going to Davina who was pouring herself a drink of lemonade but it was her words that surprised him a little. "Are they safe?"

"Very. I'd know if the cloaking spell was weakened or broken"

Cami looked at him as he took a seat at the head of the table. "Freya's magic has weakened so Davina had to be the one to cast the spell"

Klaus nodded his head in acknowledgement lowering his glass from his lips. "You did well"

Davina smiled at him proudly as she dropped into the chair at his right. "I know" She was confident in her abilities to keep Hope safe.

"I have been tracking several threats, enemies of yours that arise. I eliminate any I think pose a serious threat" Marcel grabbed a bottle of wine and a glass from the table. "I have a couple of guys out scouting but no one has reported anything as of yet"

"Well you can to explain how you are able to enact cloaking spells you have left that detail out"

Davina wriggled her nose as Cami moved to pour herself some blood. "I told you, I am not just a vampire. I am a hybrid; we don't know how to explain what occurred. I retained my magic but I don't age nor do I crave blood. I could survive on it if I had to but I do much prefer human food"

Marcel drew the conversation back to Hope. "What is the plan? Do you want to find Hope and make your siblings aware that you have awakened?"

"Hayley, is she with…?"

"Klaus" Camille took a seat at the table. "She is, well Klaus, you need to know that Elijah and Hayley are romantically involved"

The three braced themselves at the table waiting for his reaction, to see if he would explode at the knowledge of his daughter's mother and his brother but his face did not change. His expression remained impassive as if he knew that it was a possibility. "No" He murmured, a few moments later. "We'll make sure they are safe, we'll keep them from harm. We won't however tell them that I have awakened. They buried me for a reason. My bond with them was not as strong as it seemed"

Tracking his enemies, making sure his daughter and his family stayed safe was his main priority. Their betrayal had wounded him deeply but he would not allow that to mess with his mind. He had always tried to protect them and it was what he would continue to do. From this day until his last he would make sure his family was out of reach from harm.

 **/~/~/**

The pen dropped from her hand onto the table and rolled off onto the floor making a small pop sound as it landed on the tiles beneath her feet. She placed a hand over her heart and tried to steady her breathing, listening to the sound of running feet coming from the stairs.

"Hope, are you alright?"

"Sweetheart, what happened?"

Hope opened her eyes at the sound of voices. "My heart, mommy, my heart is all tingly" She rubbed the area where her heart was. "Something's different. I feel different, mommy"

* * *

 **Thoughts?**

 **A bit has changed in this chapter, so please let me know what you think of the changes. The last chapter was a glimpse of the future of 2.0, this is the beginning of where the story will start, so I do hope you enjoyed chapter 1!  
Rewrite has an extra 2206 words.  
As you will remember, italics are memories. **

**Reviews:  
Prue: Glad to see you are going to read the re-write, I do hope you enjoy it.  
Guest: Happy to hear you love it. And I could not help but smile to hear that is one of your favourites. Hope you continue to read.  
Dee: You are going to continue reading! Fantastic. That is one heck of a compliment that you think my writing is good. I am going to finish this one, whether it just be for myself or the readers. (: Hope you enjoyed the new version of the first chapter ^^**

 **Until next time:  
Much Love. x **


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two:**

"You need to tell him"

Davina raised her eyebrow as the words left Marcel's mouth, of course he would try to put this back on her. "Absolutely not. It is your turn"

"No" He stood up from his chair. "I am always the one that delivers the bad news"

"That is how it should be, you are older"

Cami exhaled, watching the two of them argue from across the bar. "I do hope you didn't follow me just to argue in my presence" She shook her head at the both of them, they could deny it all they wanted but being together brought the inner child out in both of them.

Davina turned to Cami. "It should be Marcel shouldn't it?"

Marcel nudged her with his arm. "Don't bring Camille into this. First rule, D, bringing Klaus's love in on our argument bad move"

Camille blushed at the words that flowed from Marcel's mouth. "Excuse me!" She called their attention back to her. "For one, Klaus and I aren't sure what we are. Two, I can think for myself, Klaus does not speak for me. Three, Marcel it should be you to tell Klaus because it is you who has been overseeing this while Davina was focused on finding him. Are we clear?" She couldn't help the pleasure in her as Marcel looked away sheepishly, nodding his head slightly. "Good. Now both of you go back to the compound and let me work"

"Yes ma'am" They both mumbled, shuffling towards the exit.

Cami leaned against the bar as they walked out the door, her eyes following them. Usually she was a patient person, not one to snap at them but their bickering was only adding to the stress that she was already under. She hadn't been able to sleep last night, choosing to allow Klaus a night to his own in his bed at been a mistake. Nine years of separation and the last thing she wanted was to waste time but every thought came back to the same two lines. _What if he isn't ready? What if he doesn't feel the same?_  
A piece of her knew that it was crazy, this was Klaus, in his eyes she could see the feelings swirling but despite that she was just a woman who was afraid of rejection. If he didn't love her then she had become this creature for something that never existed.

Hearing the oven beeping in the back, she pushed herself off the bar. This place was her sanctuary at the moment, the only thing keeping her busy and sane with the knowledge that she had the rest of her immortal life to fill and that most of her time in the future would be taken up by Mikaelson drama because even if Klaus was determined to leave Hope alone she knew it wouldn't stay that way.

 **/~/~/**

The paint splattered across the canvas, his hand guiding the brush back and forth through the brown paint in soft strokes. Art had always been his outlet since he was a child that craved little wooden objects; it helped him to work through his emotions without allowing people to see how he truly felt. The rage, sadness and happiness that he had harboured through the years could be reflected in the paintings that he had stored or sold over time. Yet it wasn't all that his art was about, it helped him to plot evil plans and then it also helped him to just find inner peace. This painting imparticular was one of imagination. He guided the brush gently downwards as he painted the image of the child he conjured up within his mind. It was one full of sadness and sorrow, his way of releasing the emotion that was weighing him down.

Hope.

The daughter he could only paint was filled with innocence; she would nothing of the pure evil monster that he was when he was daggered and thrown into the ocean by his family. Family, that new nothing of him trying to change for the sake of his daughter. It had him wondering, thoughts turning over within his mind, if there was any point for him to change now that she was no longer apart of his life.

"Klaus"

He had heard the footsteps and the creaking of the door, hoping that person coming would not interrupt him yet they did. He wanted to ignore the intrusion but it didn't seem right. He had to allow the past to become the past. Marcel had been his child once, he would be his child again, all that had been done would be forgotten. "Yes?" He paused, lifting his paint brush from the canvas to simply stare at his work.

"I need to talk to you about something important" Marcel clenched the doorknob in his hand. "I was hoping that by the time you woke I would have retrieved it but…"

"Retrieved. What exactly is missing?" Klaus placed his paint brush into the jar and set it on the table. "Well?" He grabbed a cloth to wipe his hands.

Marcel couldn't help the feeling of awkwardness as he stood by the door; it wasn't an easy job catching Klaus up on all that had happened in the last nine years. In almost thirty six hours he still hadn't seen the man who raised him show a blink of emotion, not even rage. Marcel was expecting him to crack at any moment; it would be natural Klaus like behaviour. "Would you like to take a walk, you've been in this room for hours"

Klaus brushed past him and out the door. "Get on with it" He encouraged his son to just speak the words, if there was anything he needed to know about then he wanted to know as soon as possible.

Marcel breathed deeply, if Klaus was going to crack this would the moment. "The white oak stake, the one you had hidden is missing"

Klaus tensed up but did not pause for a moment; he kept walking towards the stairs. "Elijah will have it. He would not have left New Orleans without it in his possession" He knew the type of person Elijah was, knowing that there was a weapon lost that could potentially kill a member of the family would have his immediate attention and he would not leave until he found it.

"He did" Marcel mumbled clearing his throat. "Your enemies were closing in, they didn't have a choice. From what we could gather Freya was going to locate the stake once they were safe but one of my guys picked up that it is still on the market"

Klaus stopped in his tracks, spinning around to face Marcel. "You make it sound as though it is for sale"

Marcel nodded cautiously. "Josh and Davina tracked it to a dark net online auction. We haven't been able to locate the whereabouts of the stake itself though"

"You have a plan to locate it, that stake is the only thing that can be used to kill an original. Who is the target?"

Marcel motioned for Klaus to follow him down the hall. "Your entire family are targets, through whispers of the vampires bidding we have been able to understand that one bidders main motivation is to kill your siblings"

"Who would wish to kill nobel Elijah and sweet Rebekah?"

Davina fell into step beside them, holding a spell book close to her chest. "They want payback. Whoever wants to kill them is doing so in your honour. They want to defend you"

Klaus blinked, staring at Davina as though she was insane, he had never met a single soul that would want to defend his honour. "That is impossible. No one would knowingly defend me, Davina, I am the evil hybrid. Nothing but a monster"

"You're not" Davina frowned at the words that left his lips, after Kol's death when they grew closer she was able to understand him a little more, he was not evil though he had done evil things mostly always in the name of protecting those he loved. "It doesn't matter if you believe it. I am just certain this person is doing it to defend you, the only question we have at this point is, who is it?"

Klaus turned back around, marching towards his art studio which also posed a study. He was well aware of Davina and Marcel's presence behind him as they sprung into action to keep up with him. "I have absolutely no idea who it could be but we will find them" He flung the doors open and walked towards the cabinet against the wall.

"Klaus, what are you doing?" Davina looked at Marcel hoping that he would have some idea.

"Don't look at me" Marcel mumbled in her direction. "I know nothing"

Klaus pulled a rather large leather bound ledger from the cabinet, running his hand along the front of the book to remove the dust before he placed it on the oak desk. "Over the years I have crossed many people, these are just some of the worst, the ones that have the most reason for wanting me dead. While you believe this person may want to avenge me I cannot be so sure" He flipped the book open.

Davina rolled her eyes. "You are the definition of paranoid. You are aware of that right?"

"How far is this dated back, some of these would have to be dead by now" Marcel approached the desk.

"Those that I know have died I crossed out"

"Like a said, you are paranoid" Davina stepped up beside them. "Where do we start?"

"With those that have the most to gain by killing me or any one member of this family"

Marcel chuckled. "Luckily we are immortal and have all the time we could need"

 **/~/~/**

"What did she mean by it Freya?"

Freya looked up from her book. "I don't know, Hayley, perhaps it was nothing just a bit of indigestion" She watched the hybrid pacing in front of her. "It was probably nothing"

Elijah pulled the lace curtain over so he could peak out onto the backyard lawn where Hope was playing with her friend from the neighbouring yard. "Sister, you say that as though it could be something more"

Freya closed her book. "I am sure it is nothing to worry about, it isn't possible"

Hayley stopped moving, her eyes training in on Freya. "What isn't possible, what aren't you telling me?!"

Freya took a moment to look at each member of the family; Rebekah who had been scrolling through her phone was now paying more attention to the conversation obviously curious. "They say wolves can sense family, that the connection in their blood draws them. Hope is a wolf descendent; we know she can sense Hayley. The change, the tingling in her heart, the pull she described could be an indication that Niklaus is awake. In slumber she wouldn't feel the immediate draw and if she felt anything then she was young enough to pass it off but the draw of him if he is awake would be something for her to notice"

"You think Klaus is awake?" Hayley placed her hand to her forehead. "Oh god" She paced back and forth across the floor. "This can't be happening, absolutely not. Elijah…"

"Keep calm, Hayley" Elijah shut the curtain and moved to stand beside is love. "You need to sit down"

"It was only a theory Hayley, like a said indigestion is more likely. No one would be able to find Niklaus, and he himself is daggered and unable to free himself. We would know if he was awake"

"Would we?" Rebekah mumbled as she stood up from her chair. "If he is awake, he won't let us know. He'll be plotting the right moment to come and kill us all. Thanks to Elijah we have no idea where the stake is which makes that a strong possibility" She looked at Hayley. "This was always a terrible idea; the chance of him waking was always there. If he is, if Hope can feel it then it is only a matter of time before he feels the connection too"

 **/~/~/**

Davina curled up on her bed, several books on witch craft were spread out in front of her. She had been over almost every spell in the books yet none of them were of use to her. A simple locator spell should have been enough to find the stake but some had cloaked it and working around that cloak was proving to be an increasingly difficult task. It made her feel as though the person cloaking it was an elder more experience witch.

"Davina"

"Come in" Davina closed the book in her lap and looked up as Klaus entered the room.

"What are you doing love?" He was a bit surprised to hear from Cami that Davina had chosen a different room in the house instead of just simply sleeping in Kol's room.

Something wasn't right with Klaus; Davina could sense it within herself. Something had changed when he was drowning in the bottom of the ocean; he hadn't lashed out or acted in rage. Nor had he vowed revenge on is siblings. It was just as strange as his opposed stance against seeking out Hope. He had gone from evil monster, to simply moving through the day as calm and numb as a person with no feelings. "Just looking, I need to find a way to remove the cloaking spell on the stake. They seem to plan ahead and it's difficult"

Klaus nodded, wandering over to the window to take a look out onto the street. "Cami said you've been working on finding and awakening me around the clock, that you were devoted to the task"

"Someone had to, besides I owed you one…or two" She shrugged as though it was not a big deal.

"Intriguing, what for?" He turned to look at her, his hands folded behind his back.

Davina blinked. "You pulled me back when I…when we lost Kol. You were the only one to notice how raw my grief was. I don't think I would have managed that time without you"

"You would have been fine, you are a lot stronger then you give yourself credit for Davina"

"I know that now but I didn't know it then so you kind of saved me. Guess I returned the favour, huh"

Klaus chuckled, he didn't think of himself as a saviour, so it was ironic that he had saved the girl who had once hated him. "Camille also told me that you quit school to focus on finding me. It has been nine years and you still haven't finished"

Davina sighed, closing her eyes. Her life had not turned out at all like she had expected, a part of her was disappointed that she never got to finish, it was a rite of passage but she was a vampire now and could go back whenever she deemed the right time. "It wasn't important"

"Of course it is" He told her, he didn't know why but a part of him was disturbed by the fact that he had mixed up this sixteen year olds life; she had become a vampire because of him. She had given up her life and any sense of normal just to make sure he was found. "Little witch, even us vampires need to have a good education. How do you think we know so much, not all can be learned through experience" He sat down gently on the edge of her bed.

"Can we talk about this after I have found the stake?" She looked at him, eyes full of curiosity that he cared enough about her to want to discuss this at all.

"A week, I am giving you one week before we have to speak about your future but for now…" He stood up and gathered the books on the bed at lightning speed, including the one in her lap.

"What are you doing? Klaus, I need those" She was a little stunned by what he was doing, the nickname he had given her and she was not quick enough to snatch the books back. "Klaus, give them back"

"You can have them back after you have done something for yourself. Go meet up with Josh"

"No. I need to find…"

Klaus stacked the books in a pile on the desk before walking back over to her and pulling her to her feet. He didn't know where this side of him had come from. The only people who had seen this side where his younger siblings. Being in the box, drowning, had made him realise that having a family meant doing right by them even if they did not do right by you. He swept the hair out of Davina's face with his fingers. "Marcel and I are going to do some digging of our own. You can help us by doing something for yourself. I have stolen nine years from you Davina, make today your own. I am not staying you can't study spells, I am just staying that this afternoon you won't be"

Davina raised her eyebrow. "Fine. Whatever. An afternoon with Josh but if someone stabs you with the white oak stake do not come calling for me from beyond the grave"

"No harm will come to me" He promised, chuckling at her words. "Now off with you"

"Bossy. I don't know why I saved you ass" Davina mumbled under her breath as she stalked towards her bedroom door.

Klaus smirked to himself; he did not want to be the reason Davina had no resemblance of a social life and as he watched her leave the room he felt the sorrow rising in his chest as he realised he could not have a moment like that with Hope. He wished for one moment to see her but he knew by doing that she would be put at risk. It was like they had said before they deposited him in the ocean, he had many enemies and Hope wouldn't be safe with him around. It was what let him to the realisation that he had to watch her from afar, make sure nothing would happen to his little girl because he had vowed to himself the day he realised that he wanted a child that nothing would ever harm her.  
But it would not hurt to give Davina someone to lean on, nor would it hurt to give Marcel his father back. He might not be with Hope in the present but he did have two other people that needed him.

Camille.

Three other people that needed him, he could not forget the blonde that had presented herself back into his life. He knew nothing of where they were at, he hadn't slept since awakening and last night she had left him alone in his room despite having claimed his bed as her own while he was gone.  
Klaus knew that she wanted to help him sort through all that was going on within his mind, she wanted him to talk but Klaus didn't think he could burden her with his past. She knew not even half of what troubled him and truth he was a little frightened to know what she would think of him if she knew it all.

 **…**

"Pouring yourself another drink? Wouldn't you like to talk about what is bothering you?"

Klaus grabbed another glass as he looked up to see her standing across the room. "No. I'd much rather the drink"

"See, you always say that but in the end you want to talk. What topic shall it be this time, your siblings? Hope…what are your thoughts on that?" She sat down on the edge of his bed.

"We aren't going into this"

"You're being stubborn" She took the glass that he held out to her.

He smirked. "You're being nosy"

"It is what I do when I want you to open up to me"

Klaus raised his eyebrow. "If you insist on speaking about something, shall we talk about us? What are we Camille? Lovers, friends, partners?" He stared at her, her mouth dropping a little. Truth was he needed to know, if he did then he would be able to make the most of their time together.

Cami lowered the glass from her lips. "We don't need to do this now if you wish to focus on Hope"

"I need to do this now" He stepped towards her slowly until he was standing in front of her. "Where do we stand, Cami?"

Cami ran her tongue across her bottom lip. "To be completely honest with you, I know where I stand Klaus. I love you. I had fallen in love with you before you compelled me to leave this place, I just didn't know it at the time. When I came back here and Davina wiped away the compulsion I was confronted with it all. I didn't realise before that losing you was a possibility, you are immortal but then I lost you and I didn't know if I would ever find you again" She looked up at him waiting for his reaction.

Klaus stared back into her eyes. "The dagger didn't work as though they thought it would, I could think, hear and I was semi aware. I thought through everything, one thousand years of existence narrowed down into nine. I have never experienced love like this. I don't doubt I can love, I love my siblings, Marcel, Hope…Davina but it is love like this that I have never had the privilege of knowing"

"Is this the part where you tell me that in order to save me we cannot be together?"

"No love, this is the part where I tell you, in order to save myself I cannot let you go" He dropped to his knees in front of her, his hands going up to cup her face as he pulled her gently toward him. "You confessed your love for me, now it is my turn to do the same. I've love you since the moment I laid eyes on you. A bartender working toward a psychology degree, a woman I compelled for my own sanity. I was wrong, I don't admit that often but I was. I should have just told you then…you're the one" He was surprised when Cami leaned down completely crashing her lips against his, he wound his arms around her body and held her close to him unwilling to break the connection.  
If this was his chance at love then he was grabbing onto it with two hands and never letting go.

* * *

 **Thoughts?**

 **Rewrite has an extra 1742 words.  
Let me know what you think of the two new scenes, and as you can tell Cami and Klaus's talk was moved to this chapter instead of dragging it out into the next!**

 **Reviews:  
Guest: Happy to hear that you are loving this new version. I wouldn't necessarily try to place this story in a timeline with the show. I only say that because as we go further into the story a bit will have changed.  
Guest: Good to hear that you are liking all the revisions.  
Guest: Good to hear you like the new version. Hope you enjoyed this update.  
Always and Forever: Do not fret my lovely reader! I am all for the Klamille ship and my idea for her to be the love of his life will not change. I hope the piece of them together at the end of this chapter soothed a bit of your worries. In the other version Klaus didn't send her away but in this he did it because he loved her and did not want to be the reason harm came to her. **

**Much Love. x**


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three:**

Klaus lay silently in his bed, eyes closed unable to sleep, his breathing slightly uneven as the events from the previous night played fresh within his mind. He could hear her breathing, feel her cuddled closed with her head on his chest, one of his arms around her holding her but it all felt a little surreal. He couldn't realistically believe that he was in this moment with her, Camille, the woman who had made him believe that there was hope that he could love.  
Love.  
It was a term, a topic that he never thought would open its door to the abomination, the bastard son as his father had once labelled him. Who could love someone as evil as him? Even as she slept beside him he was reminded of the fact that even she had once called him a paranoid psychopath. He had felt love, however fleeting it may have been yet it had also been a feeling he had tried to ignore in fear of more disappointment and more heartbreak. The first time had been enough, it was like having his heart ripped from his chest and stomped on over and over.  
Having the dagger pulled from his chest, returning to the land of the living had given him a new prospective on life. Perhaps he shouldn't draw disappointment, fear and weakness from love; maybe it was possible that love was in fact strong and powerful much like Elijah had always wanted him to believe.

He ran his hand up Camille's right side, moving to run his fingertips through her blonde hair. It was time for a new era. Time to love without fear; it was because of her that he even found himself drawn to the idea.

"Did you sleep well?"

Klaus did not startle at her words, his lips slowly turned into a grimace, he had fallen asleep when they first came to bed but the nightmares of the past soon came and he was awakened. Her presence had been able to sooth him enough that he didn't feel the need to start painting but he wasn't able to return to sleep. "I slept for nine years love"

Camille lifted her head from his chest to look at him, her fingertips rubbing soothing patterns across his chest. "A restless night then"

"No. I watched you sleep for a little before closing my eyes to rest"

"Creepy" She teased. "Do you know how long I have waited for this moment, to wake up with you?"

Klaus tilted his head, sweeping a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. He had missed the simple pleasure of seeing her smile. "Nine years"

"Longer Klaus. Much longer"

He brushed his thumb along her cheek. "You can call me Nik"

She raised her eyebrow in surprise. "I thought that was only reserved for Rebekah"

"And Kol"

"Nik" The name left her lips. "That sounds different"

He chuckled. "That it does, perhaps Klaus is better"

"Oh no" Cami tutted flipping herself on top of him so that she was straddling his hips. "You cannot take that back, Nik" The name rolled off her tongue and she couldn't help but grin with confidence at the little shiver that rolled through his body. "You like that?"

"What I would like…" He flipped them over so that he was on top. "Is for us to make up for lost time" He pulled the blankets over them as he leaned down and kissed her.

 **/~/~/**

"Marcel" Davina shouted his name out loud as she stormed into the dining room to see the older vampire sitting at the table on his phone. No doubt once again checking in with the vampires he had out scouting. She had been gone one afternoon and night and plans were already being made without her, she despised being kept out of the loop especially since she was no longer a child, technically a twenty five year old in a sixteen year old body.

"Good morning D, enjoy your night with Josh?"

"Why are you and Klaus going to Atlanta?"

Marcel looked unphased by her question; he placed his phone down on the table and picked his glass up. "We are just doing some scouting, I got word a couple of vampires interested in the auction for the stake were heading there for a gathering"

Davina stared at him with a disbelieving look. "You want to take Klaus to a place where vampires are gathering the very object that could kill him? Are you insane, has someone cast a spell on you? Marcel, this isn't funny" She scolded him for laughing. "You cannot take him. I won't allow it, it is a warzone"

"I didn't know you were my mother, Davina…Actually I retract that, my mother would send me into a warzone"

Davina spun around on her heels to find Klaus standing by his chair with Cami, his hand clasped around hers. "Have you gone crazy?"

He pulled his chair out and sat down, smirking slightly. "I've always been a little crazy love, I am actually offended you didn't notice before now" He let his eyes leave Cami who had released his hand in order to retrieve some blood, instead shifting his gaze to Davina. "Never mind, little witch, you do not need to approve my whereabouts, I'll be fine"

Davina squeezed her eyes shut in anger. "Cami, you can't possibly agree with this!"

"Sweetie, you know he will do what he likes. No one has been able to tame him yet"

"Oh love, the people trying to tame me weren't you"

Davina placed her hands on the table. "I'm coming. You are not going alone"

Marcel raised his eyebrow. "Do you believe that Klaus and I are incapable of looking after ourselves? You're not coming; we are going to be fine"

"You don't control me. If you are scouting I should be there too" She stepped up so her thighs were pressed against the edge of the table, leaning forward as she shouted. "You're risking everything"

"Davina, he is an original, he isn't going down without a fight. Have a little faith"

"Marcel!"

Klaus leaned back in his chair watching the two of them glare at each other. Their banter reminding him of when he argued with Rebekah. It was intriguing to see this aspect of their relationship; it was not something he had witnessed. "Hmmm" He hummed when he felt Cami's hand on his shoulder.

"Are you not going to intervene, Davina is about to jump across the table and tear him limb from limb" She fought to contain a small smile. "As entertaining as it might be, I don't think we have time to be piecing Marcel back together"

Klaus rolled his eyes. "Yes it would be entertaining. Enough" He spoke loud enough to gain the attention of the two in front of him, they both turned to look in his direction. "Stop acting like brats. It's been settled Davina, Marcellus and I leave tomorrow. You will not be joining us, in fact use the time while we are away to explore schools with Camille, take a look at your options"

Davina's mouth dropped open. "You are not serious; I will not stay here while you two are off in Atlanta. I am a twenty five year old woman, I am not a child"

Klaus raised his eyebrow, clearly she did not realise that she was indeed throwing a tantrum with the way her foot stomped against the ground. "You may have lived for twenty five years Davina but you will always be a sixteen year old, your brain will not age over time. The perfect example would be Rebekah, she was sixteen when we were turned and even at a thousand years old she still craves for the things she did when she was human. She can throw tantrums like a teenager and act as though she is one"

"Don't compare to Rebekah, she was spoiled"

Klaus chuckled at that which surprised everyone. "That she is. However it still remains, you won't be enjoying us, you'll look at schools so that you can further your education"

"I'm not a child!" Davina repeated stubbornly. "You will not treat me like one" She brushed passed them out of the dining room; her bedroom door could be heard slamming moments later.

"Well I think we can all agree that went well" He picked up the glass of blood that Cami had placed on the table for him earlier.

"You think that went well?"

"Of course love. Marcellus was exactly like that at sixteen, as was Rebekah and Kol. Nothing to worry about. Shall we eat?"

Marcel grabbed his phone of the table. "Stop calling me Marcellus. I feel like a teenager"

Klaus waved his hand dismissively. "I'm your father, I'll do as I please" He closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the chair unable to see the look that Marcel and Camille were giving each other.

Marcel was shocked by the words that flowed from Klaus's mouth; it had been a long time since he had head Klaus refer to himself as his father. Elijah had used the term often, even Rebekah at times but not Klaus. It was not only strange to hear but it awakened something in Marcel that he thought died years ago when the Mikaelson siblings had fled New Orleans.

 **/~/~/**

"We have no choice; we are going to have to leave"

 _Enie Meanie Miney Moe  
Which one of you will be the first to go?_

Rebekah looked away from her from the note to turn to Elijah; he was leaning against the fireplace staring into the flames looking deep in thought. "It wasn't meant to be like this. In nine years we've only moved three times, mostly because of age. We shouldn't have to run anymore, Elijah"

"Removing Klaus from the picture was meant to cease these threats"

Hayley looked towards the staircase; it was only early morning meaning Hope was still sleeping. "We still don't know the threat isn't coming from Klaus himself" She mumbled, even though the others had dismissed the idea she was unable to shake the thought that he was out there.

"Hayley" Elijah sighed; it wasn't ready to admit that it was a possibility.

"We daggered Klaus and placed him under a cloaking spell in the ocean. It cannot be him"

Rebekah stood up and moved towards the window. "Hayley is right" She spoke making everyone look at her in shock. "We need to consider the possibility that it is Nik, he could be the one hunting us, wanting us dead. To him we committed a treachery worth death; there will be no forgiving this"

 **…**

Hope sat on bottom step of the staircase listening to the conversation her parents and aunts were having in the study, the name Klaus kept coming into discussion and she felt as though she had heard that name before. Someone had mentioned the name before she was sure of it but it was what they were saying that sounded bad. At nine years old she was more than able to comprehend that it was bad news, someone was hunting their family and if it was this person named Klaus then she certainly wouldn't let him hurt her family.

"Hope"

Hope frowned turning around she didn't see anyone standing on the stairs, it was just the voice again. She hadn't told anyone for fear of them thinking that she was going insane, her parents might think that she was practicing magic without them and then she'd be in trouble but the voice was getting louder, at first it had been quiet and soft, nothing more than a whisper. Now it was loud and demanding at times, the voice wanted her attention but it never said more than her name.

"Hope"

Hope blocked her ears and stood up, running up the stairs quietly and into her room, shutting the door behind her. "Go way" She mumbled.

"Hope"

"I said go away" She climbed into her bed, and hid under the blankets, covering her ears with her pillow. "Go away" She mumbled.

"He's evil, remember that"

Her head popped back out from under the blankets, she shivered at the words rang through her ears. "Who is evil?" But her question was met with nothing but silence.

 **/~/~/**

"Until this situation is under control I think we need to lift the cloaking spell on Hope just long enough to locate her and have two vampires watch her from a far, once we know where she is and the vampires are in place we can place the cloaking spell back on" Klaus told Marcel as they moved towards Davina's bedroom.

Marcel nodded, he was listening to Klaus but his mind was still focused on the words his father had mumbled not long ago. "I'll call up a couple of my best guys. Anything else?"

"Someone should be here to watch over Cami and Davina" The thought of leaving them alone made his blood run cold, if one of his enemies caught word that they meant something to him then they wouldn't be safe.

"I'll take care of that"

Klaus stopped outside of Davina's door. "Thank-you Marcel"

Marcel stared at him; he would never think it was normal to hear Klaus openly showing gratitude towards him or any other person. The Klaus Mikaelson he had once known never expressed any sort of thank-you; he did simply demand that all he spoke of would be attended to. "Go easy on her, Klaus, she hadn't had a parent in many years" He even after all the years could still remember how Klaus was as a father. He was strict but never unkind; he just wanted his child, children even to succeed in life.

Klaus glanced back at Marcel, he was unsure of how to react to the comment. A parent, is that what he was acting as toward Davina? It should have bothered him a little, especially since his own blood daughter was out there whom he could not raise yet by helping Davina he was potentially easing the pain that he felt when it came to thinking of Hope. He wasn't forgetting his biological child, just learning to cope with the loss. "I am never unkind" He told Marcel before knowing on the door three times and letting himself into the room. He was unsurprised to see Davina sitting by the window with yet another book full of spells, something he was coming to realise increasing quickly was Davina's life was revolving around magic. A few days he had been back in her life and he was worried how she hadn't burnt herself to the ground in the last nine years, there was only so much research one could do without going insane.

Davina narrowed her eyes at him. "What do you want, Klaus?"

He stared at her for a moment; the look on her face reminding him of the first time he found her after Kol had died.

 _Davina stared at him with narrowed eyes as he stepped foot into the attic. "What do you want, Klaus?"_

 _Klaus looked around the destroyed room belongings tossed everywhere and there she sat in the middle of her bed surrounded by it all. "You're grieving…"_

 _Davina glared at him through the tears that were still rolling down her cheeks, she had been unable to stop crying since the moment Kol died. "Does it bother you? Just get out"_

" _Don't do that" He walked further into the room bending down to retrieve the photo of Davina and Kol that was lying in the middle of the candles that had been thrown to the floor. "He was happy"_

" _Of course he was, he was living as a witch something he always wanted…"_

" _I meant with you"_

" _Why are you here? Are you here to gloat about how I lost another loved one?"_

" _He was my brother! Do you believe that I wanted him to die?" He snapped at her, closing his eyes he tried to regain his temper. This was for Kol, he was here for Kol. "You meant more to him then I can understand, so I am here out of courteously. You are grieving" He walked towards the bed and held the photo out to her. "I just want you to remember, you are not alone in that grief. I grieve for him as well"_

 _Davina reached out and took the photo from his hands. "You were not that close with him"_

" _I was closer with him then you know" He took a step back. "If you need someone then you know where I will be"_

" _Why?" Davina stared at him in confusion. "Why are you doing this, acting as though you care? You hate me and I hate you"_

 _He started walking away from her. "I'm doing this for Kol" He left the attic leaving her with the knowledge that he was there if she needed._

"I want to speak with you" Klaus closed the door behind him, shaking the memory from his mind. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing"

Klaus raised his eyebrow as he approached the window seat. "Davina, you are acting like a teenager one that you claim to no longer be" He sat down on the edge of the seat. "Kol was only seventeen when he was changed, he thought that he was an adult" Klaus took the book from her lap and closed it, knowing he would have her full attention now.

Davina frowned, one thing that had never come up in conversation before was Kol's age, he refused to tell her when he was alive and Klaus had never mentioned it before. "He is seventeen" That meant that he was only a year older then she was now yet he had a thousand years of experience being that age.

"Technically yes, it was a few months shy of his eighteenth birthday when we were turned. When we were changed it took a few months before Kol started to appear as though he was an adult, neither I or Elijah minded since looking after teenagers and running from Mikael was quiet the task" He took a breath. "Kol tried to act as though he was many years beyond his original age, and while he might have been, he was still only seventeen in his mind. It did not take long for Elijah and I to realise that while Kol was growing knowledgeable and sounding wise, he was still acting out as a teenager only since he was a vampire it could be worse, at times uncontrollable"

"I don't understand, what is the point of this?" She loved learning about Kol but she wasn't sure what Klaus was doing.

Klaus looked out the window. "Kol was a teenager who needed distraction, at first it was the idea of learning how to live as a vampire but over time as the world changed I helped him to find new ways. When education was introduced into the world Kol went to school, he worked for the knowledge he had. I want you to do the same. Do not try and act as though you are twenty five, I don't expect it, just as I did not expect it of Kol. You are forever sixteen, live the life that was stolen from you Davina. With time you'll begin to act more mature but there will be days or moments when the inner teenager shines through, never be ashamed of it, it is who you are"

Davina shook her head. "My life was not stolen. I wanted the transition"

"If it could have been avoided you never would have turned, so yes it was stolen. You made that choice at sixteen years old because of pressure that was placed upon you; you should have had more years to decide"

Davina exhaled, turning to look out the window. It had been a long time since anyone treated her like a child, since she had attended school or just did things that she loved. So much time had been spent worrying, hiding, practicing magic. She wasn't sure what it meant to just be a normal teenager. "I want to help"

Klaus nodded slowly. "Of course you do, I won't stop you from helping but I don't need you for this simple scouting mission. You can stay here with Cami"

Davina chewed on her bottom lip, appearing to be vulnerable, a side of her that Klaus had not seen very often. "How long will you be gone?"

"Just a few days" Klaus reassured, he felt his heart twitch a little at her expression. "Something on your mind, love?"

"You've never explained it to me, you were close with Kol? You know so much about him but I thought that Rebekah was your favourite sibling followed by Elijah"

Klaus chuckled; it was always interesting to hear how others viewed his relationship with his siblings. "I am close with Rebekah, well, I was. She is my only sister; we share a bond like no other"

"Freya" Davina reminded him of the older half-sister that he had.

Klaus paused, he had not known Freya growing up nor did he know much of her now. "I do not know Freya like I do my other siblings. As I was saying, Rebekah and I are close, but my relationship with Kol is not dissimilar. He is my younger brother. He confided things to me and he knows things about me that neither Rebekah or Elijah know. Never doubt that I love Kol, Davina, he meant more to me than people realise" He moved the hair away from her face noticing the tear trailing down her cheek, he could sense that she was crying because of Kol and how much she missed him. "Do you understand why I encourage you to finish school, to live normally?"

Davina nodded slowly, wiping away her tears. "I think. I need to live a normal life if I am going to be immortal otherwise things could get boring right?"

Klaus smirked. "They could indeed, however being part of this family I do not think you will ever need to worry about being bored. I do want you to accept that you are a teenager, just like Kol had to accept that he was my younger brother and I would look after him because he was a teenager"

Davina nodded slowly, the words sinking into her stomach. He viewed her as family, it should have shocked her more than it did but somehow she already knew deep down that he viewed her that way. "Okay Klaus"

He brushed the last tear away from her cheek. "No more tantrums, little witch"

"Aren't teenagers supposed to have tantrums?" She asked as he stood up.

Klaus raised his eyebrow. "Why do I believe I have just given you an excuse to bring a lot of trouble to my life?"

"Because you have" Davina spoke cheekily.

He turned away from her. "Tomorrow before I leave I have something I wish to share with you, so make sure you see me before I leave"

 **/~/~/**

He stood in the shadows watching through the windows, the fire was burning behind her allowing enough light to be able to see her face, she seemed scared uneased by the thought that it was Niklaus who was hunting them. He wanted her to feel unsafe at the thought but it was her who helped dagger and bury him. She had made it so he would never see Niklaus again and for that it was not only her but all of them that needed to pay.  
He allowed his gaze to wander to the top floor, his eyes falling on the room where the little princess slept among the people that ripped her from the father she should have had the chance to know. He'd see to it that the little girl got a better life then the one she was currently living with people who lied to her and took her from the father that loved her.

* * *

 **Thoughts?**

 **Rewrite has an extra 1297 words.  
Hope you enjoyed the new bits in this chapter, I am sure you can point out what they are (:**

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	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four:**

Klaus's body shuttered; his heart racing as the nightmare pulled him under. The peaceful sleep he had been enduring moments ago had dissipated, replaced with the memory that haunted him at night. Not even the presence of Cami could sooth it.

" _Please father, I beg of you. Please stop!"_

" _Be quiet boy. You stole from me, you deserve this punishment"_

 _Niklaus quivered as the sound of the belt came whistling through the air, striking on the bare skin of his back, the agonising pain spreading through his body. It was the tenth stroke or at least that was the number he held in his head, he'd lost count around the time his father thumped his head into the wooden post._

" _Hold still boy"_

 _He hated hearing it; he had a name, Niklaus, why did his father never use it. "Father, please. I did not take your knife, I did not. I swear to you"_

" _Liar! You are rotten to the core boy"_

 _Klaus closed his eyes, trying to fight the tears that were welling. He had done better this time, refrained from crying for longer yet the tears wanted to fall. A father was supposed to love his children unconditionally; he did not understand the hatred that Mikael had for him.  
His eyes sprung open as the belt landed against his back, he had learnt that it was better not to plead, there was no one to help him and his father would not listen. At times it was uncontrollable; his mouth seemed to release the words without this consent. This was unfairness; he had not taken the knife. "Father"_

" _If you did not take my knife then who did boy?"_

 _Niklaus felt his hands buckling under his weight, lifting his head to answer his father it was movement that caught his eye. He tried to focus through the tears clouding his vision but what he saw made him wish he could take every word spoken to his father back. Huddled in the corner hiding behind a pile of straw sat his baby brother, knife in hand. The sheer terror in his eyes told him that the seven year old boy had witnessed it all; his brother had seen the side of his father that the man never wanted to be revealed.  
No decision needed to be made in that moment; it wasn't a choice at all. He could not tell his father that it had been the child cradled in the corner. If there was one thing he had always vowed, it was that Mikael would never lay a hand upon his siblings the way he did him. He would protect them no matter the cost. "It was me. I am sorry, father" _

" _A liar and a thief. You were raised better. You are nothing but a runt"_

 _Niklaus kept his eyes on his brother, watching at the tiny child squeezed his eyes shut in fear. This was a moment he never wanted anyone to witness, a moment where he was at the mercy of Mikael._

" _Ungrateful bastard. I will show you the error of your ways"_

 _CRACK!_

 _The sound of the belt crackled through his ears as his hands buckled beneath him and he fell to the floor, eyes squeezed shut tightly as he knew what was to come from this, the failure to hold still._

" _Stupid boy"_

 _The kick to the side of his ribs hurt just as much as the belt, his small body unable to hold up against that of a grown man._

" _I'll see to it that I do not raise a thief for a child"_

 _THUD!_

Klaus's eye sprung open, a shutter running through his body at the memory of Mikael and just one of the many moments of abuse. Being daggered had brought old memories to the surface, memories he had tried to bury over a thousand years. He inched out of bed, leaving Cami still sleeping. He needed distraction to force the memories out of his head, he grabbed the bag and the pile of clothes sitting on the chair, packing would do him good. A normal task with nothing to lead to Mikael, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath picking up something from the pile, he shivered when he felt the leather in his hand, his eyes snapping open. He tossed the belt to the side, it had been added to the pile by Cami, he usually avoided wearing items that reminded him of that period in his life.  
He tilted his head to look at Camille, she was lying on her stomach across his bed with only a sheet to cover her lower half, she had been trying to help and on no part had it been her fault, she knew nothing of his past.  
Relationship. The word meant that he would eventually have to let her into his life, allow her to know things but his past with Mikael was not something he ever thought he could reveal.

"Is everything alright, Klaus? You look lost in thought"

Klaus watched as she sat up on the bed and swept the blond hair over her shoulder, her eyes focused solely on him. "I am quiet fine love, just admiring the view. You are exquisite; I shall paint you upon my return. Every queen should have their portrait painted"

Cami rolled her eyes, a giggle escaping her lips. "Charming. You do realise you have already won my love"

"There was never any love to win sweetheart, you were mine from the moment I laid eyes on you" Klaus finished placing everything into the bag, zipping it up.

"Are you certain you wish to do this?"

He moved across the wooden floor taking a seat on the edge of the bed beside her so that he could look directly into her eyes. "I need to find the stake before harm is done with it. I will be back in a few days, stay safe and keep an eye on our resident teenager" He didn't wish to leave, the thought of parting from them for more than a day was not something he enjoyed. Being close by he could protect them and it helped him, knowing that he had people to watch over gave him something to do to distract himself from missing Hope.

Cami smiled, holding the sheet around her body with one hand she used the other hand to caress his cheek. "You care for her; I never thought I would see the day. You've changed…"

"I had no choice" He admitted, though he didn't really want to, admitting to her that he had changed over the last nine years felt like he was admitting weakness. "I should go" He stood up, reaching out to run his fingers along her cheek.

"I love you" Cami said the words though she had no expectations to hear them repeated back, emotions and speaking about them did not come easy to Klaus, she did not mind, it was the type of man he was, the type she had fallen in love with despite knowing this.

Klaus ran his tongue along his bottom lip. He did not recall a time after his human life that he had told a single person that he had loved them. It was not a word that came to him easy but like many things being daggered had changed that. He would change his way for the few people that mattered dearly to him. "I love you" He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "I will be back in a few days. Good-bye love" He picked up his bag, moving across the floor with increased speed leaving Cami staring at the spot where he had vacated.

Klaus had said the words to her, words she had never expected him to actually say. Making a fuss of it would do her no good, Klaus did not like his affections to be publicised, he liked the quiet moments, she knew that. Quiet moments with him were precious, time that she appreciated greatly because they were scarce and she would not take advantage of them.

 **…**

The smell of alcohol and smoke surrounded Klaus as he sat at the bar with Marcel, another round of drinks being placed in front of him. They had not been able to locate the gathering of vampires, through the grapevine they knew it was being held tomorrow but everyone was tight lipped on the location. It was frustrating for Klaus; this person was going to potentially hurt his family, the family that had wronged him yet also the family he wished to keep safe. He swallowed the cool liquid, breathing deeply as it ran down his throat.

"You could place a call, people respond better to you then they do to me"

Klaus smirked. "People only respond to me out of fear" The fear that was placed into people by nothing more than the sound of his name was quiet amusing. He was proud of it; it protected those he cared for. His siblings only saw it as an outcome of all the terrible crimes he had committed. "If one person was to know I was awake then word would no doubt reach my siblings in a matter of days. I cannot have that, we continue as discussed"

Marcel picked up his drink, swaying the liquid in the glass. Do you think they are aware that someone is hunting them?"

"Yes, if there is a threat toward his family then Elijah who no doubt know about it" He glanced towards Marcel, an eyebrow slightly raised. Since awakening he had had the question within his mind yet had not asked it, never alone for long enough with the right opportunity. "Have you spoken to Rebekah at all?" It was a fair question after all they had loved each other once.

"No" Marcel was unphased by the question, he was not at all surprised that Rebekah had not attempted to contact him, it was a well known face that all Mikaelson' protected their family first. Rebekah was no exception. A part of him would always love her but there was no longer any expectation that she would put him first. The saying that blood is thicker than water did run true within the Mikaelson family. "I don't expect to hear from her. She knows full well that if you were freed you would approach me for their whereabouts" He glanced at his adoptive father. "Besides she knows where I stand on what occurred"

"… _We're free"_

 _Marcel stood on the other side of the table, shocked to the core by what she had just told. "Free? No Rebekah you aren't" He watched her face fall. He loved the woman before him, had loved her from the moment he first set eyes on her regardless of the fact that in that moment he had been a child. "You already know that though, don't you? When he is free because he will be one day, he will come after you; hunt you down for the betrayal…"_

" _A cloaking spell has been placed on him so that no one else will be able to find him. The dagger worked on him, Marcel, Freya made it work. We are free"_

 _Marcel couldn't believe what he was hearing, he had his troubles with Klaus but regardless of everything the man did rescue him and the thought of having him locked up and buried did not sit well with him. One thing Marcel had learnt from him was that family was everything. "You'll never be free from him Rebekah, what you have done will ensure that he comes after you all"_

" _We have to protect Hayley's daughter…"_

 _Marcel raised his eyebrow. "I think you are forgetting that the baby Hayley is carrying is also Klaus's"_

" _We have to do what is best for her. Klaus will only corrupt whatever innocence she is born with"_

" _You forget he raised me, Rebekah. He didn't turn me evil, he was a good father. You didn't think he could love anyone outside of your family, I am living proof that he did. This is his child you are ripping from his life for your benefit. You need to think about that"_

 _Rebekah blinked as Marcel's words rolled through her body. "It's been done. Freya…"_

" _Freya knows nothing of Klaus. You have been his family for a thousand years. You've always stood by him, why the sudden change. Remember all that Klaus has done to look after you Rebekah" Marcel sighed. "I don't agree with what you have done"_

 _Rebekah stared at him, the sorrow in her eyes was evident. "Marcel, I love you, Elijah and Freya agree that he won't wake up so take the leap of faith and come with us…please"_

" _No Rebekah, you Mikaelson's are always feuding but this crosses the line. By daggering him you take away his chance, his right to be a father to his biological daughter, are you aware of that? I can't be a part of it. Just leave. Leave and don't contact me"_

Klaus tilted his head; he had never been overly fond of the relationship Marcel and Rebekah had shared. Marcel was his son, the child Klaus had adopted as his own. Rebekah was the sister that had been by his side for one thousand years, she was the sister he had raised as they grew up. It was true that in his eyes no one would ever be good enough for Rebekah, it was why so many of her loves had disappeared over the years and while he was not thrilled by the aspect of her choosing Marcel, he did have to admit that the man he saw as a son was a far better suitor then those she had chosen previously.

"Do you think that she is physic, is that even a possibility? Actually discard that question; I am beginning to learn that nothing is impossible"

Klaus frowned, turning his head to look back at Marcel. "Hmm" He had been caught up in his thoughts but he shook them from his mind.

"Rebekah, do you that she is physic?" He held his phone up, it had been on silent but Rebekah's name was displayed across the screen as an incoming call.

"No, do not tell her I have awakened. Find out any information you can, do not mention me though" Klaus spoke with stern precision. He did not want his family to know that he was indeed awake, the thought of them trying to dagger him once more flashed through his mind. He did not wish to live through that torment again, once was enough. It was easy to protect them if they were far from sight, it would be harder if he had to look them in the eye while doing it. Forgiveness for them was deeply buried within him somewhere, he wasn't even sure it could be sort out.

"Rebekah, to what do I owe this pleasure?"

" _Marcel, I need your help, well your knowledge to be exact. Do you know if Niklaus is awake and roaming New Orleans?"_

Marcel raised his eyebrow at Klaus, aware that the original hybrid could hear everything that was being said. "You daggered him Rebekah, tucked his body away so that no one would be able to find him. For him to be roaming New Orleans someone would have had to recover the body"

" _You haven't heard from him?"_

"Should I have?" He paused, giving Klaus a brief look but he seemed to be staring into space, no doubt listening but not showing emotion. "What is it you want, Rebekah? I made it clear that you weren't to contact me, it's been nine years"

" _Someone is hunting us. We thought Nik…we think he might be awake…"_

Klaus held back a flinch as he listened to his baby sisters words. The fact that she thought he would hunt them like their father had hunted him, it showed him that she did not know him as well as she thought. That hurt, he wished it didn't. Before the daggering it wouldn't have bothered him, now his emotions seemed to be going haywire. His sister had just hurt his feelings, that was not something that had been done for many years.

"I have not seen nor heard from Klaus, Rebekah. However did I not warn you of this possibility, I told you time and time again, this was never going to end well" He breathed deeply. "Do you have any idea who the person is that might be hunting you, why they might be hunting you?" Marcel needed as much information from her as possible, Klaus wanted to capture this person before they got near the original family.

 _"We've received several threats. I told Elijah it was irresponsible to leave before we recovered the stake but he did only as his beloved Hayley and older sister Freya told him. Someone has turned the stake into bullets; one could come flying through the bloody window and into our heart in seconds. We don't know who this person is but we can't take any chances, not with Hope's safety at stake"_ Rebekah took a deep breath.

Marcel took notice that Klaus had tensed at the mention of his daughter's name, so he took the opportunity knowing that Klaus would appreciate it. "How is Hope, she is nine now" He could almost sense Rebekah's hesitation but he knew her well enough to know that the pride of being an aunt would win over all, she wouldn't be able to contain her need to gush.

 _"Hope is amazing; she is exceptionally bright for her age. Looks like her mother but she has Nik's eyes and his fiery temper. It is something I have in common with her, a piece of Nik we share. She is innocent and sweet, exactly how we wanted her to be"_

"She sounds like a wonderful child" Marcel saw it, the lone tear that was trailing down Klaus's cheek, it could not be missed. "There is more…"

Rebekah drew in a deep breath, the birds chirping in the garden behind her. _"I wonder what will happen to her if this person whoever it is gets there wish. If we die who will care for her. Despite being bright and capable, she is still a little girl"_

"Nothing is going to happen to you, Rebekah" Marcel spoke adamantly; they would stop any threat before it reached the house that Hope was staying at.

 _"You don't know that, truth is we know nothing of this person which makes them all the more deadly. Times like these is when I realise what Nik did, he took each and every threat seriously and eliminated it before it could become deadly"_ She paused for a moment. _"I only hope I can protect his daughter like he protected me at times_ … _ **Aunt Bekah, Mommy wants you**_ "

Marcel flinched, Rebekah hung up the phone immediately at the same time as Klaus flew out of his chair and the bar. He could only guess that knowing your daughter is out there is one thing but listening to her voice without knowing what she looked like, that would an unbearable pain for a father who didn't know the child she had become. He didn't chase after his adoptive father; he would give the man a few minutes to process what had just happened before he approached him.

 **/~/~/**

Rebekah stared at the note on the kitchen bench, another threat had been delivered to the doorstep yet none of them had heard or seen anything. No idea of who was hunting them, it could have been anyone with a grudge against the original family but they could do nothing to narrow down the field of potential people that were trying to hurt them. She picked up the note in-between her fingers, breathing deeply as she read the words over in her mind again.

 _One step.  
Two step.  
Three step.  
Four.  
Closer, closer to your door._

 _While I load the gun.  
You should run!_

Her heart was racing a million miles an hour; the arguing could be heard in the background. Her siblings arguing with Hayley over where they should go next or what they should do. It was clear they had to leave but where was there to go? This person would be able to find them wherever they ran to. For the hundredth time in nine years she wished that Nik was by her side, it was times like these where she needed the big brother that cared for her when they were human children.

"Rebekah, are you going to contribute to this conversation at all?"

Rebekah turned to look at Hayley, a frown crossing her features. "What is there to say?" Her attitude clearly caught the family off guard.

Elijah raised his eyebrow. "Are you alright, sister?"

"No Elijah, I am not alright. If we do not run we could be dead within the hour" She ran a hand through her blonde hair. "What will happen to Hope if we die?"

Hayley glared at her. "Do not speak like that! We will not die, none of us. We will be around for Hope!" The hybrid grabbed the map that had been laid out on the table. "Texas. We could try to settle their, make a home for Hope"

"New Orleans is our home; no where we chose will be home" Rebekah walked out of the room without saying another word, she closed her eyes and leant back against the wall on the other side of the kitchen. "Why did we do this?...God, Nik, I need you here to protect me…"

 **/~/~/**

Hope.  
Hope's voice.

Klaus sat on the roof of the bar staring out at the sunset, the sound of her speaking was playing on repeat in his mind. Five words circling. He wanted nothing more than to hold her in his arms, to hear her call him dad or just to say hello but he couldn't have that. A part of him agreed with Hayley, not that he wanted to, Hope was safer without him in her life. She did not have to live in fear of his enemies each day; he had a lot of him, to many for her to constantly need to be on guard for.  
He was not sure what kind of father he would have been since he never had a good remodel but he did like to think that doing this, staying away, was part of being a good father. Hope needed normal, she needed safety and she needed happiness. None of which he thought he could provide being with her. It was what Hayley thought, Freya, Elijah and even Rebekah; it was why he believed it to be the truth.

His phone rang loudly against the silence and he pulled it out of his jacket, a small smile crossed his lips at the sight of her name. He wiped away the tears and pressed the green button.

"Little witch, something you need?"

" _I could sense that something was wrong. Cami is here. Is everything okay?"_

Klaus smile slightly at that, for once someone actually seemed to be worried about him, they actually cared. It was a different feeling one he was not particularly used to but it was a nice feeling. "Everything is fine, I still have my limbs" He chuckled. "Just an unexpected call. Nothing to fear"

" _Klaus, maybe you should come home, Marcel too. Being separated isn't good for us"_

He wanted nothing more than to return home to them but he couldn't not when he needed any information he could receive. "I am sorry Cami, I must do this. Don't worry; I will come home to you"

" _Klaus…uh, it's Josh…I, um…"_

Klaus couldn't help but smirk as the kid on the other end of the phone stuttered, obviously very nervous to be speaking to him. "What is it you want Joshua?"

" _The stake was turned into bullets"_

"I know"

Davina interrupted before any other words could be spoken. _"How do you know that, Josh only just got here"_

"I will fill you in later, I sense Josh has something else to say"

" _They've been purchased. Sold outside the auction"_

Klaus felt his heart racing in his chest, that was not what he had expected to hear in this phone call. "We'll be home in a few hours"

 **/~/~/**

He held one of the many bullets in between his fingertips, rolling it back and forth. He never thought of carving the stake but it did certainly serve its purpose. At first the plan had been to dagger them, things had now changed, he would be able to kill them all.  
Not the child.  
Not Hope.

He leaned back in his chair to examine his purchase closely; he would not hurt the child. With any luck it would be her blood that would lead him to Niklaus's body.

Rebekah.  
Elijah.  
Hayley.  
Freya.

In no particular order he would kill them all, it should have bothered him. Taking the lives of four people but he could not look past their treachery. It pained him to know that they had taken from him the one person that cared for him from the start. Psychotic Manic, that was the image of himself that he would embrace to get the job done, he would take on that persona to help avoid any guilt that he would possibly feel after.

* * *

 **Thoughts?  
Rewrite has an extra 1734 words. **

**Reviews:  
Guest: I love writing those moments between Davina/Klaus /Marcel. So expect more.  
Guest: Happy to hear you loved it. **

**Much Love. x**


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five:**

" _You are not leaving, Rebekah"_

 _Rebekah spun around at the sound of Niklaus's voice, he was standing in the doorway to her bedroom with his arms crossed. "I am free to leave whenever I please Nik. I am no longer a child, I am nearly a thousand years old and I want to explore the world"_

 _Klaus raised his eyebrow as her stubborn nature seemed to present herself, her facial expression filled with defiance. "It does not matter, you are not leaving"_

" _Why is it you feel you must keep me by your side? I am able to handle myself Klaus, you taught me that. I'm leaving. Father is distant enough that if I leave now he may never find me"_

" _I cannot take that chance. We are stronger together Rebekah, always and forever, is that not what you promised?"_

 _Rebekah turned away from him, looking down at her suitcase. "I promised you that before you became this monster, if I knew then what I do now things would be different" She went to zip up the bag but felt Klaus's hand on hers, she looked up and met his eyes._

" _See me as a monster if you must, little sister, I'll gladly live up to the reputation if it keeps you safe" He breathed deeply. "Unpack your things" He turned around to leave, walking half way across the room before she spoke._

" _You're a bastard, a controlling bastard Nik! I hate you, you cannot make me stay!"_

 _He didn't turn around to face her, not allowing her to see the brief flash of hurt that crossed his face as the words she spoke hit him. "I may be a bastard but one that puts your safety first. You'll do as you are told and remain within these walls" He walked out and pulled the door shut behind him._

Rebekah stared at the magazine as she thought back on the memory; it had only been a week later that Mikael had found them. Nik might have made her stay yet he kept her safe that night as he always did. It was now in this moment that she wished she had never been a part of this crazy plan to rid him from their lives. If he was still around it would have been him protecting her just as it had always been. "Where will we go, Elijah? Nowhere will be safe" She spoke suddenly breaking the silence in the room, the fear was radiating through her body as they spoke about the topic once again. Never would she openly admit to the people in the room that she felt safer when running with Niklaus, he may have no held emotions or feelings but he was ruthless when it came to making sure that they would be safe.

"After the last threat I decided to use a map to track Niklaus's enemies, they are gathering here in Atlanta. We need to leave" Freya entered the study demanding attention as the newest information came to light.

"My previous question still stands, where will we go?"

"We'll make the decision later, first we need to gather what we need" Hayley stood up from the couch. "We cannot stay here a moment longer, it is placing Hope in danger"

"This person whoever they are is hunting us, we won't be able to out run them forever" Rebekah felt as though she was the only one thinking sensibly, they needed to know who was after them and end their life before things became deadly.

Elijah looked down at his little sister, he could see the fear in her eyes it was one emotion he had come to recognise after years of running from Mikael. "We will survive this Rebekah; we'll take down anyone who wishes to harm our family. We might not be able to outrun them forever, for now we can move and by ourselves enough time to narrow down the list of suspects"

 **/~/~/**

" **You know it is the right thing to do"**

" **There is a threat coming"**

" **You know he is evil"**

" **You have to protect your family"**

Hope tried to block her ears to drown out the voice that was surrounding her again. She hated hearing it, at nine years old she felt like she was going crazy.

" **You don't have a choice. Do you want your family to die?"**

Hope stood in front of the spell looking down at the book that had blown open to it of its own accord. She had never seen it done before, but even at nine years old she was beginning to realise a lot of things were possible. The voice was making it impossible for her to concentrate, she had never seen a spell done let alone done one on her own. Hope knew she was out of her depth but the voice kept prodding her. Would it protect her family from whatever threat they were facing? Regardless of them trying to protect her she knew that something was coming, they were scared, her Aunt Bekah imparticular look terrified. Never would she wish harm on the Aunt that loved her and spoiled her.

" **I will guide you through it. It will make them safer I promise"**

"Okay" Hope breathed, reaching out to brush her fingers along the page under the words cloaking spell. "I'll do it"

" **Excellent. You are making the right choice, little one"**

 **/~/~/**

Klaus stared across the table at Cami and Davina, Josh standing to their side. He had returned not long after Davina had called him, they had no idea who had purchased them outside the auction. A key reason to why he had left Marcel behind to see if he could find out where the gathering was being held, he needed his son to listen in on what was said when the others found out the items they were trying to buy were already gone.  
He hated to feel useless which was how he felt at the current time knowing that this person out there was getting closer to his family each day and he could do nothing to stop them.

"We called you about the bullets, but I fear we may have a bigger issue now"

Klaus raised his eyebrow at Davina. "Which is?"

"The cloaking spell I had on Hope and your family broke, it's since been replaced and I can't locate them"

Klaus stared at her, the words registering within his mind; if the cloaking spell that Davina had placed on them had been broken it meant that they had been vulnerable for a short time. "Replaced by whom?" He needed to know the answer to this, so he could force them to cease the cloak which would allow Davina to place a stronger one upon them.

Davina bit her bottom lip. "I do not know, my guess is Freya may have had a boost of power and she is the one who placed it on them but it still leaves many loopholes. They never would have known that there was a cloaking spell in place meaning they wouldn't have known they broke it" She breathed deeply. "I have no idea what spell has been done but I can't break it meaning it's been done by blood magic, only blood will be able to break the connection"

Cami held her hand up to stop Davina talking. "You need Klaus's blood to break the spell"

"No" Davina shook her head. "I can't break the spell since I am not of blood relation to whoever cast it. If it is Freya then the only other witch that can break it is Hope"

Klaus rubbed his hands over his face; this was not at all what had expected. "Well, we have to find a different way. I am not bringing Hope into this" His attention was drawn to Josh as his phone begun to ring distracting from the conversation.

"I'll, um, just take this over there" Josh mumbled distancing himself from the table.

"I'm sorry" Davina mumbled. "I should have thought of this before, sealed my cloak with blood magic so only I could undo it. I just…I was distracted at the time…no excuse I know but…"

"Davina" Klaus spoke her name drawing her attention. "I don't blame you for this, you have no need to justify yourself" Normally it would have been the type of situation for him to over react, but what was there to say now? What occurred today they couldn't prevent they just needed to try and work their way through and fix it. "I need to contact Marcel; his vampires are following Hope so if we find out where she is then at least we know that they are safe"

"Slight issue with that…" Josh interrupted. "That was Marcel, he tried calling his guys but they didn't pick up. He tracked them only to find them dead. He thinks it was at the hands of your daughter's mother…"

Klaus tensed at Josh's words, that was no what he wanted to hear. Knowing that his daughter no longer had the protection of the vampires sent to watch her angered him more then he thought it would. He only hoped that his siblings and Hayley could handle themselves if any trouble came their way preventing it from getting to Hope.

"Are you alright?" Cami moved around the table, placing her hands on Klaus's hips, she tilted her head to look up at him.

He gave her a lazy half smirk, trying to fight the anger that was rising inside of him. He would not portray that side of him right now in front of Cami and Davina; they didn't need to see the old him awakening. "I'm fine, love"

"I have an idea; maybe I can find a locator spell to use on the bullets. Perhaps now that they are no longer part of the auction they will no longer have the cloaking spell to protect them…just a thought"

Klaus moved his attention back to Davina at his notion. "Do what you can, little love. If we can locate the bullets we will be one step closer to securing my family's freedom and daughter's safety"

He would not rest until his family was safe, until he knew where his daughter was. They would do whatever it took.

 **/~/~/**

" _Father" Kol stared at his father from across the parking lot._

 _Mikael smiled however it was not a gentle smile that a father should give his children, it was one victory in knowing that Niklaus would be close by. "Kol, my son, where is your bastard brother?"_

 _Kol hated to hear the word bastard falling from his father's mouth. Klaus was his brother, his saviour, hearing his father bad mouth the only person who ever cared about him hurt. "Father, please leave him be, he is my brother"_

" _He is nothing but an abomination, you will do well to remember that Kol"_

" _He is my…" Kol gasped as his father flashed to him, slamming him into the brick wall behind. "Father" He squeaked, his vampire strength not a match for that of his father._

" _He is a beast. Not your brother. He is an abomination"_

" _Get your hands off him" Klaus roared, flashing forward and using all his strength to fling his father from Kol's body. "Do not ever dare to lay a hand upon him,_ _ **father**_ _" Klaus spat the term. He chose to ignore the words he had just heard being spoken of him, he had heard them all leave his father's mouth before. In this moment his only care was to protect Kol, there was room for nothing else within his mind._

 _Mikael chuckled dryly. "He is my son, boy"_

" _He is my brother" Klaus kept his eyes on Mikael studying his every move in hope to predict any attacks that would possibly come his way. "Leave Kol"_

" _I won't leave brother"_

 _Klaus tensed, he was used to Kol's stubbornness yet on the topic of Mikael his younger brother had always listened before. "I cannot be distracted, Kol, leave. Now. I will find you, go"_

" _Nik, I…" Kol watched as his father produced a stake from under his coat. "Nik!"_

"Nik!"

Kol shouted out his brother's name bolting upright in his bed, his breathing rapid. He squeezed his eyes shut, shaking his head from side to side to shake the memory from his mind. Ever since he had returned whenever he slept memories from the past had haunted him, usually they were never good, most were nightmares in which his father appeared. In them Nik suffered or he died, Kol hated them, waking up to realise his older brother could not comfort him.

He had not been able to protect Klaus from Mikael, never able to kill their father but he could defend the brother he loved now. He opened his eyes, taking a quick peak to see if the bullets still lay on the bedside table beside him but he frowned when he saw the piece of paper laid out. He reached out; taking the paper between his fingers he read the words out loud.

 _They're gone, running from you.  
Take this time to reflect, don't place yourself on their level.  
Don't do this to them, he wouldn't want this…but you already know that don't you?_

Kol scrunched up the paper and threw it to the floor, whoever had written the note had been in his room. He wonder who could have crept past him without him waking, the vampire hearing would have alerted him to someone. Whoever this was knew of his plan and wanted him to stop, but he couldn't. This was his mission now, to hunt and kill those who wronged Nik.

* * *

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	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six:  
Six Months Later.**

"I cannot give you the bracelet, she'll realise something is up. She's ten now Freya, I can't hide things like this from her like I used to" Hayley held the photo of Hope within her hands.

Freya sighed. "I distinctly remember telling you and Elijah both that this was the best course of action when she was younger and you both denied it. You wanted Hope to grow into her powers" She stood up, walking towards Hayley. "What has suddenly changed?"

Hayley ran her fingers along the photo. "We've been running for six months, Freya, we still have no idea who is chasing us. Any small detail could be the one to lead this person to our door, I don't want Hope's magic to be that trigger"

"Hope is using it more daily now, it is concerning. She is unable to control it making it unpredictable" Elijah turned away from the window. "Normally I would be against this type of intervention but Hope is a child, a child that needs our protection. So will you do it?"

Freya bit her bottom lip, looking down at the photo in Hayley's hand. This was her niece they were talking about, the very child she had promised to help guard. Magic was a part of who they were, the only two witches in the family. It was a connection that only she held with Hope and now they wished for her to rip at away. "If I do this, I'll need the bracelet. I'll do a spell on it, as long as she continues to wear it the magic will stop flowing in her veins"

Hayley rubbed her forehead, a sign of desperation in her eyes. "I will have to try and take it from her when she is sleeping and place it back before she wakes"

"You need to be aware of the consequences…" Freya looked at her younger brother, whom at times acted as though he was indeed older and then she glanced at her niece's mother. "By stopping the flow of magic that she releases when practicing it will cause it to store. When the time comes and we take that bracelet from her wrist the magic will be intense"

"Perhaps it should be a different item of jewellery, one that we can ask her to take off on special dates and on those dates she can practice a little magic…"

Rebekah giggled. "If you give her a new piece of jewellery and then her magic suddenly disappears she is going to be aware of what you did. I don't agree with this but if you insist then it needs to be done with the bracelet; she won't suspect it since she's been wearing it since birth"

Hayley glanced towards Rebekah, she didn't know what was entering the youngest Mikaelson' mind but she had changed a lot in the last six months. "I'll get it off her wrist tonight. It's time" Hayley wrapped her arms around Elijah as he stepped closer to her. "I hate this"

"I do to, my dear, I do too"

 **/~/~/**

Klaus held the glass of bourbon in his right hand as he leaned against the railing of the balcony that over looked the street. The morning marked the day of six months since they had to regroup and start the search all over again, every moment not knowing where his daughter was or whether she was safe was a moment that he loathed. The thought of not being able to help her if a situation arose made the sorrow flow through, she knew nothing of who he was but he already felt like he had failed her more than once. This little girl was meant to be his fresh start, his one chance at happiness but most of his world seemed dark with a few rays of light streaming in from the people who cared.

"There you are" Cami breathed taking a step out onto the balcony rubbing her arms at the cool air, not that she felt the cold at all. "Klaus…"

He placed his drink on the black iron table and turned to face her. "Yes, love?"

Cami smiled softly. "You cannot keep doing this to yourself, none of this is your fault, we've been over this time and time again for the last few months. What could you have done to stop this from happening?"

"It should have been me who was watching over Hope, not those to idiotic vampires. They were the only possible way to follow her after the cloaking spell…they shouldn't have died"

Cami shook her head, placing her hand on his arm. "You don't believe they fought to stay alive? You know deep down they lost a battle they were never going to win"

Klaus breathed deeply moving to wrap his arms around her. "I should be good at hunting down people; god knows I have done it with Katerina. This however is different, at every turn I am met with another road block. No lead on who could be chasing them…it is like I taught this person how to hide, I was a master at it…"

"Klaus" Cami watched as Klaus closed his eyes as if he was falling deep into thought. "What is it?"

" _You need to learn"_

" _Nik, do not be daft. I am able to stay hidden…"_

" _This is not some game of hide and seek, Kol, this is about disappearing. I need you to learn how to make yourself invisible encase anything is to happen…"_

" _Do not say it. You will not die…"_

" _But I could Kol, at any point if father is to catch me it is a possibility that I will not walk away. I need you to learn how to completely disappear from his radar so that you can protect yourself and our siblings"_

 _Kol's arms tensed, his eyes darting to the photo of Rebekah placed on Klaus's bookshelf. "You mean so that I can protect her"_

 _Klaus's eyes softened slightly, he could sense the jealously radiating from Kol as it always did when Rebekah was mentioned. "You will protect her as she is your sister, that however does not make you any less important. I do all that I do to keep you all safe, you being one of my main priorities. If I fall Kol, you need to be able to step up and take care of our little sister"_

 _Kol breathed deeply. "Fine. Teach me but do not think for a second this gives you permission to die"_

"How did I not think of this before" He mumbled, taking a hold of Cami's hand he whisked them through the room and down the stairs into the dining room.

 **/~/~/**

"Years ago I taught Kol everything I knew about disappearing from our enemies, encase their came a time he would ever have to know for himself. For months we have been sitting here trying to decide who this person could be, they were better at hiding then anyone I have met in my lifetime which lead me to the conclusion that this person is someone close to me, someone I told everything…" He turned to look at Davina who was sitting in her chair who looking down at her lap not making eye contact with him. "Is there something you wish to tell me, Davina?"

Davina blinked, her hands trembling a little as she looked up to look at Klaus, who for the first time since his return looked angry. "I didn't work. I would know if it worked" She stood up. "I would know" She repeated, this time the words were softer spoken more to herself then anyone around her.

Nik felt his entire body tense up, he could tell that his suspicions were correct without her having to saw the words. He swallowed in attempt to contain the rage that was spreading through his body, he didn't want to flip out on her and portray the inner monster again, the one he had been trying hard to keep at bay. "You should have told me"

"I didn't think it worked. I didn't want to upset you, you lost so much…I, if he was alive he would be here with me, wouldn't he?" Davina tried to hold back the tears that were arising in her eyes.

"What is happening?" Cami was the first to question; she wanted to know what they were talking about because in the present she was lost.

Marcel cleared his throat quietly, leaning in so he could whisper in her ear. "Davina tried to resurrect Kol; we thought it failed but apparently…"

Klaus turned around to look at Marcel with a stern raised eyebrow. "You knew about this!"

Marcel shut his mouth, his lips spread into a thin line as he looked at his father. Klaus looked angry that he had been kept out of the loop of something very important. "I…It didn't work. Davina and I thought it would be better not to disappoint you"

"That wasn't your call to make!"

"Klaus!" Cami called his attention back to her as she moved to stand over Davina who was now sitting back in her chair. "I think she is in shock"

Klaus set eyes on Davina's moving around the table to crouch down to her eye level. "Davina, look at me" He tilted her chin.

"It didn't work, I would know!" She repeated to him, blinking as the tears rolled down her cheeks silently.

Klaus glanced up at Cami. "Could you get her a bottle of water, love?" He waited for Cami to leave before he turned to Marcel. "She isn't in any shape to perform a spell right now, find me a witch who can" He knew he didn't need to repeat himself to Marcel, his son left leaving him alone with Davina.

"I'm sorry"

This was exactly what he had meant when he said she was in aspects still a sixteen year old vulnerable girl. "Don't be sorry love. You tried to resurrect, Kol?"

Davina nodded slowly. "Yes, I tried but I didn't think it worked. I would have known wouldn't I?"

"No" Klaus rubbed his fingers across her knee. "Something has clearly intervened. Kol would be here for you if he could be I'm sure of it, little love" He reached up to wipe the tears from her cheeks. "Come now, no tears, I need you to help me find Kol"

"You think he is alive?"

Klaus nodded. "Yes, Davina, I believe Kol is alive"

Davina's eyes flashed with fear. "What will you do to him? I don't want you to hurt him Klaus. He mustn't be in the right mind if he wants to hurt them"

Klaus flashed her a rare smile. "I would never hurt Kol, Davina, never"

"Promise me!"

"I promise. I will not hurt Kol, he is my baby brother. I will protect him always"

" _Nik. Nik. Look at me brother"_

 _Niklaus looked up into the tree, eight year old Kol balancing on a branch. "Be careful, brother" They were out collecting fruit from the trees, though warned by his father to not let any harm befall Kol._

" _Nik, catch" Kol tossed the apple down, his brother catching it with ease, he smiled brightly before reaching for another apple._

" _No, Kol, sit down. You shouldn't stand on a branch that thin, it will be brittle from the winter just passed" He listened the crackle, to late it seemed as the branched snapped beneath Kol's weight._

" _NIK"_

 _Niklaus dropped the basket of fruit he was carrying, leaping forward to catch his brother, both of them tumbling to the ground, Niklaus having broken Kol's fall. "Kol, are you alright? Kol" Nik slid out from underneath his brother, shaking the eight year old. "Kol"_

 _The child opened his eyes, a grin falling over his face. "You saved me, Nik, you saved me"_

" _You scared me. Of course I saved you, brother, I will always save you" He helped Kol sit up on the ground. "Are you alright, no cuts?"_

" _No" Kol promised, blinking as the tears formed in his eyes._

" _Why are you crying? Did you break something, speak to me Kol"_

 _Kol's bottom lip trembled. "I thought you only protected Bekah and 'lijah, they are your always and forever"_

 _Niklaus reached out pulling Kol into a bone crushing hug. "I will always protect you Kol, no matter the cost. My life for yours if need be" He leaned back tilting the younger boys chin. "You know my secret Kol, Rebekah and Elijah do not. It is you that I trust; I can trust you can't I?"_

 _Kol nodded. "Always Nik, always"_

 _The older brother smiled. "Would you like to make our own pact, would it make you feel better?"_

" _Please"_

 _Niklaus seemed to think. "What do you think it should be, Kol?"_

 _Kol grinned. "I want always and forever but I want to always protect each other"_

" _How about, I promise to always and forever protect you, love you and trust you, baby brother"_

 _Kol nodded rapidly. "I like that. I really like it Nik"_

 _Niklaus stood up, pulling Kol with him. "Good, I like it too"_

" _Niky, I promise not to tell father I fell"_

 _Klaus froze, looking down at the innocence in his younger brothers eyes. "Kol, I want you to promise me something. Never try and protect me from father, never, do you understand?" He dropped to his knees in front of Kol, the sternness and urgency rolling off his tongue._

 _Kol frowned. "But we just promised, to always and forever protect each other"_

" _I know, I know, but not with this. You don't come near father if he is…" Klaus swallowed. "Hurting me"_

" _Will you not come near him if he is hurting me?"_

 _Klaus took Kol's hands in his. "That is different. If you do something wrong, like the time you took fathers knife then you come to me first, you tell me Kol and if father is ever angry with you or asks you if you have done something wrong, you tell father it was me"_

 _Kol shook his head. "Then he will punish you"_

 _Klaus smiled sadly. "As long as it is not you Kol. Always and forever I will protect you, do you understand that?"_

" _Yes" Kol nodded, wrapping his arms around Klaus' neck. "You are the best big brother Niky" Kol whispered using the nickname that only he had for Klaus._

 _Klaus rubbed the child's back. "You are the best little brother Kol"_

"Klaus, are you okay?"

He blinked the memory away, he had many memories much the same, there was a time when he spent almost every waking moment with Kol unknown to his family members. A void had been made when his younger brother died, a void that he had never been able to fill not that he had ever wanted too. Then there was also the constant knowledge that he had not done as he had promised, he had failed to protect the brother that trusted him wholeheartedly. Now he had the chance to set things right, he focused back on Davina who was looking at him concerned. "Fine" He cleared his throat. "I am fine"

"We need to find him; I don't want him to get hurt"

Klaus remembered his vow that he made to Kol, it was as clear as the day they first said the words. "He will not get hurt; I won't allow it to happen Davina. We will find him and protect him, always and forever" He wasn't as stunned when Davina through her arms around his neck; it wasn't the first time she had hugged him. In the last six months they had shared a few of these moments in passing, they were brief never long but enough to make him truly understand what Davina craved, the love of a parental figure.

"I am sorry I did not tell you"

He rubbed her back gently with his hand. "It is alright, little love, just never keep something like that from me again"

Cami stood on the stairs watching the two embrace in a hug, even though he had never admitted it out loud she knew that having Davina around was helping Klaus to deal with the realisation that Hope was not around. He wasn't replacing his daughter just refocusing the energy. "I brought water" She spoke softly after a few moments.

Davina pulled back from Klaus. "Sorry" She apologised yet again, she blushed a little. Every affectionate moment she had with Klaus had been private, never witnessed however this time Cami had seen and she wondered how he would react to that.

Klaus waved her off. "Nothing to apologize for, little witch" He stood up and held out his hand to her, helping to pull her gently to her feet. "We need to…"

"Guys!" Josh stormed into the dining room spreading the map out onto the table. "I gave you your family time but this couldn't wait…"

Klaus watched him with amusement, in the last six months Josh had got extremely confident around him. From a nervous scared puppy to at least a puppy with a bit more fight in it. "What is it Joshua?"

"You do realise only you call me…" He shook his head. "Never mind, this is important. I was trying to find a book in the library Davina wanted to use to try a locator spell when I came across this…Klaus, there are five dots on this map..."

Davina moved to get a closer look at what Josh was talking about. "It could be old…" She grabbed the knife on the table. "Grab me another map, Josh" She glanced at Klaus. "I am going to need your blood"

He took the knife from her and sliced the palm of his hand allowing the blood to trickle down onto the map Josh set in place. "Five dots, that accounts for…"

"Your three siblings, Hope and possibly Hayley since she would have Hope's blood in her system from the transition, Hope's blood is also your blood…I'm rambling, you get the point" Josh mumbled as he stood beside Davina.

"Seven including you" Davina spoke softly. "Six excluding"

"Six meaning one must be Kol…" Klaus gazed at the map.

Cami frowned. "He is only a state away from the others"

Josh stared down in confusion. "Why is the map picking up on their location? They were cloaked, we haven't been able to track any of them including Kol…Isn't it a bit weird that suddenly he has appeared too"

Davina bit her bottom lip. "If it was Freya who did the cloak then she has obviously tried to cloak the whole family, I had no need to do a locator on Klaus but there is the possibility if I had that he wouldn't have showed on the map"

Cami looked at Klaus noticing the distance look in his eyes. "Klaus, hey, look at me…are you alright?"

Klaus breathed deeply. "My younger brother is hunting my siblings and mother of my child. Whoever said this family was dysfunctional my love was wrong, we are completely self destructing"

Cami rubbed his arm, knowing that inside there his mind he was probably circling through inner turmoil. "We'll find Kol and all will be okay"

Klaus placed his hand on the curve of her hip. "What is the address Kol is at, Davina?"

* * *

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Guest: Glad you loved it.  
Guest: The Kol/Klaus Scenes will be coming soon!**

 **Much Love. x**


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

Sleep was underrated, at least that was what Klaus told himself as he turned to look at the clock noticing that it had ticked on four am, yet he could not bear to close his eyes. He held Cami close, her head on his chest in hopes that she would sooth his thoughts and grant him a few hours of peaceful sleep before he left to find his younger brother, preventing Kol from killing the rest of their family. Not that he suspected that Kol was capable of killing them.  
Part of the reason he was laying down staring into the darkness was because he could not put his mind to rest. His younger brother thought he had been daggered and buried, or perhaps he had thought he suffered a fate much worse, death, it was driving him to the brink of insanity. He wanted nothing more to embrace Kol, hold him close and reassure him that it was all going to be okay, just like he had done when they were younger.

"Klaus" Cami whispered sleepily. "Are you still awake?"

Klaus stroked his fingertips down her side with a certain tenderness that he did not know he could display. "Yes love"

"Is everything alright, you haven't spoken much since we decided that you would leave tomorrow to find Kol" Cami lifted her head, rubbing her eyes with her hand.

Klaus reached over to the lap beside the bed and flicked it on. "I am just thinking"

Cami smiled softly at him, she knew that the wheels in his head would be turning. Over time there were many things she had called Klaus, many things that she had tried to diagnose him as though never had she thought that she would see this side of him. "Would you like to talk about it?"

Klaus chuckled. "How many times have you asked me that question since my return, love?"

"More than you would like, I suppose" Cami giggled. "But that is what I do…"

"I was thinking of Kol" He admitted. "I do not understand why he would be hunting our family"

Cami tapped his chest with her fingers. "In your honour, your defence, whichever you wish to call it"

Klaus caught her hand with his and laid it upon his chest. "No. Kol, he knows better. I've taught him better which only makes this all the more confusing"

"What do you mean by that?"

Klaus ran his tongue along his bottom lip; he did not willingly share his past with anyone. Davina had been the exception when it came to Kol and that was only to help her grieve when he first died. People for a thousand years, his family even, had assumed that he was not close with Kol, yet they knew nothing of the time and moments that had been shared. "I mean, sweetheart, that Kol knows better than to mix in business that belongs to me, things that do not concern him"

Cami frowned at that sentence, it was Kol's family to, was it not his business when members of his family hurt his brother. "I thought mixing in other people's business is what Mikaelson' did best"

Klaus smirked at that, Cami did not hold back when it came to the truth and it was true that he had mixed in his siblings business repeatedly. "Touché, love" He leaned in and kissed her briefly which surprised her. "Yet Kol is different. I taught him not to mix within my business for his own safety and protection" He leaned and kissed Cami once more before turning his head towards the door. "Little witch, you many come in"

Cami quirked her eyebrow in surprise when Davina opened the door slowly, a sheepish look crowding her features slightly embarrassed that she had been caught listening.

"I'm sorry"

Before being daggered, he would have yelled at her and possibly threatened her but time underwater had changed him. "Quiet alright, love. Is something bothering you?" He surprised both girls by not shouting at the teenage witch/vampire.

Davina inched further into the room, shutting the door behind her. "You were speaking about Kol, I just wanted to…"

Cami patted the bed in front of her as soon as soon as she saw the look in Davina's eyes. "Come sit, I know you miss him sweetie"

Davina walked across the floor and sat down at the end of the bed her legs curled to her left. "I miss him more than I thought imaginable, but I can't deny the anger. Why hasn't he come to see me?"

Klaus stared at the two of them as Cami sat up and embraced Davina. Niklaus Mikaelson, the original hybrid never thought this would be him sitting in a bed with the girlfriend and the teenager he adopted as his own somewhere along the line. It was slightly delusional to even imagine yet his heart ached for the knowledge that beside Davina his ten year old daughter should have sat and yet she was nowhere to be seen.

"Klaus, are you listening?"

Klaus blinked, looking over to Cami. "Sorry love, did you say something?"

"Will you tell us something more about Kol, anything to share with Davina?"

Klaus readjusted himself so that he was sitting up properly, Cami curled back into his side and Davina laid down with her head in Cami's lap. "Kol was eleven when he approached me; he wanted to learn to wield a sword. I had thought he was too young, yet he was determined that he was of age" Klaus fell into the memory from over a thousand years ago.

" _Niky, will you teach me how to use a sword?"_

 _Niklaus turned away from the straw he was cleaning up to face his younger brother. "You are far too young to use a sword Kol"_

 _Kol frowned. "No I am not. Elijah taught you to use a sword when you were ten Nik"_

 _The thought of his brother using a sword scared him, though he would never admit it. Damage could be done with a sword; it was the same reason he was pleased that Rebekah would never have to learn such an art. "Exactly, Kol, you are far too young"_

" _I'm eleven, Niklaus. Will you teach me?"_

" _Kol, why is it you wish to learn?"_

 _Kol blushed, staring at his older brother sheepishly. "I want to learn so that I can protect myself and you"_

" _Whatever from?" Klaus stood up straight, his eyebrow raised. "What do you need protection from brother?"_

 _Kol bit his bottom lip, scuffing his boots on the ground. "Father"_

 _Klaus moved quickly across the floor to his brothers' side. "Has he laid a hand on you?"_

" _No" Kol defended. "No, Nik, I promised to tell you if he did. I want to learn so that I can protect you"_

 _Klaus breathed a sigh of relief, placing his hand upon the younger boys shoulder. "That is not reason enough for you to learn to wield a sword"_

" _I heard father last night" Kol exclaimed. "I want to be able to protect you, Niky, like you protect me"_

 _Niklaus shook his head. "I will not teach you to use a sword for that reason" The mere imagine of his younger brother standing before their father with a sword flashed through his mind, and it scared him half to death. Their father was more experienced, he would be able to better Kol within moments._

" _Then teach me so I can learn Nik, just for fun"_

" _No"_

" _I'll ask 'Lijah" He went to walk away._

 _Klaus stared at his brothers back, he knew teaching Kol to use a sword would be punishable by his father but the thought of Elijah being able to teach him twinged a little jealously with Niklaus' body. "Little brother"_

 _Kol stopped to turn and face his older brother, hope alight within his eyes. "Yes?"_

 _Nik stood back up properly, giving Kol a stern look. "I will teach you; though you cannot tell father and you are not to use a sword on father ever. Do you understand?"_

" _I would never tell father on you Niky, never"_

" _Very well, we will have a lesson while we collect fruit tomorrow, for now I must clean this mess up" He turned and moved back to the straw, kneeling to gather some more._

 _Kol walked across the dirt, kneeling down to help Klaus. "I'll help you"_

" _Kol, you should go play with Henrik"_

" _No. I want to be here with you"_

 _Niklaus smiled, listening to his little brother's excitement of the time they would have tomorrow. Never had he wanted to risk the idea of a punishment until it came to Kol, anything his little brother asked of him was indeed worth the risk and the price he would pay if caught._

Klaus smirked, brushing the memory aside to focus on telling them about the little brother he had. "Kol was determined so I agreed. Teaching him the art in which to use a sword was rather easy, he picked it up as though it was something he did everyday however apart from our lessons and little jest in the woods I never saw him pick up a sword unaccompanied by me" He did not tell them why Kol had wanted to lean, he would never tell his secret to the world. It was something only Kol knew the truth of.

 _Klaus stepped into the room, having put out the fire. He moved over to his straw bed, trying to be as quiet as possible as to not wake his siblings, he removed his boots while making sure Rebekah was unharmed and sleeping. He couldn't help but smile at her, she was cuddled in tight under her blanket clutching her wooden figurine that he had carved for her not so long ago.  
Rest assured that she was safe; he moved his eyes to the bed on his right where Kol would sleep at night. His heart started to beat uncontrollably fast when he realised that Kol was nowhere in sight. _

_Creeping back out of the room he rushed to wake his mother and father, yet the sight stopped his heart cold. Standing above their father was Kol holding a sword. Never had Niklaus known fear like he was feeling, if his father woke to see Kol there would be nothing he could do to protect the newly turned twelve year old.  
He moved in silence, wrapping one hand over Kol's mouth and using his other to grab the sword to stop it from dropping to the ground. _

" _Don't make a sound" Niklaus whispered quietly into the child's ear, before releasing his mouth and taking him by the arm, leading him from the room and out into the cool night air._

 _Kol's body quivered, silent tears had been rolling down his cheeks since before Niklaus had caught him. "Nik, I'm…"_

" _Hush" Klaus scolded his brother, placing the sword down. He breathed in deep, taking a moment to compose himself, his heart still racing within his chest. "What were you thinking, Kol?"_

" _Father, he beat you again…I…"_

 _Niklaus knelt down in front of the boy. "Listen to me; you never do that again Kol. If father had woken up, he would have seen you"_

" _But he…"_

" _No Kol. Father could beat me for one thousand years, I would endure every moment to know that you are safe. Do not ever put yourself in harm's way" He grabbed the boy by his shoulders. "What would you have done had you been able to kill him? How would you have explained that to our family?"_

" _I don't know" Kol cried, tears running down his cheeks, his bottom lip trembling. He hated making Klaus upset, he did not like to be the cause of his brother's sadness or anger. "I'm sorry"_

 _Klaus pulled the boy into a hug. "Never Kol. Never again"_

" _I just want him to stop"_

" _I know, I know you do, little brother" He pulled away slightly. "You must never try such an act again. You will never touch a sword. Do you understand?"_

" _But Niky, our lessons, I love our lessons"_

 _Klaus waved his hand. "Never Kol" He restated firmly. "I do everything to keep you protected, to keep you safe but I cannot protect you if he knows"_

" _I understand"_

" _Good boy" Nik hugged him briefly before wiping away his tears. "I would never forgive myself if anything happened to you. Now inside, to bed, I need to return fathers sword"_

" _If he wakes…"_

 _Niklaus gave the boy a stern look. "Then I will endure his wrath. To bed with you" Klaus turned the boy towards the door of the hunt, sending him on his way with a sharp smack to his behind. He had never done so before but the child had scared him more then he thought imaginable, when morning came they would talk about it some more but for tonight Klaus wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed and watch as his siblings slept soundly and safely._

"Why does he refuse to use a sword?" Davina asked quietly, the sleepiness was thick in her voice.

Klaus held back a shudder at the memory of seeing Kol standing over their father's body with a sword to large for him to carry. He chose to ignore the question and give her a piece of information that only he knew. "Lessons with me were a way to bond, it was one of the reasons that Kol wished to learn"

Cami titled her head to look at him. "How come you do not speak of him often?"

"I lost him in Mystic Falls, I watched as he died unable to help then I witnessed the same here in New Orleans. I thought he was gone"

"You don't speak of him because it causes you pain" Cami whispered.

Klaus didn't nod nor did he deny the answer instead he choose to divulge into the memory of where he made Kol the promise. "He was eight when I took him collecting fruit, he fell from a tree" He smiled slightly. "He was always somewhat of a thrill seeking child. I broke his fall, catching him before he could land on the ground. Almost broke my back" Klaus chuckled. "It was after his fall that he told me he thought I would not catch him. He feared that I loved Rebekah and Elijah more"

"He has a sensitive side" Davina mumbled.

Klaus looked down at the little witch noticing that she had her eyes closed, Cami's fingers running through her dark hair, lulling the teenager to sleep. "Yes he does, so we shared a pact like the one I have with Rebekah and Elijah. It was enough to make him feel more secure"

Cami smiled at him. "He is very lucky, they are all, Klaus"

"I do not think Elijah and Rebekah saw my presence as luck, if they did then they would still be here" He climbed out of the bed, moving around and lifting Davina gently into his arms. "I'll be back in a few moments, try to sleep love"

Cami watched him walk away, Davina cradled in his arms. Never had she thought a side of Klaus like this would appear. It was enjoyable to see the change as he was evolving into this new person. Her hand dropped absentmindedly to her stomach, her fingers rubbing against the pyjama top she was wearing. Her heart ached a little to know that she couldn't give him what she should be able to especially after seeing him with Davina.  
She rolled over onto her side burying her head in his pillow, breathing in his scent. A part of her had never recovered from the loss that she had when she transitioned into an immortal being.

 **...**

Klaus pulled the blankets over Davina's body looking down into her half open sleepy eyes. "Everything alright?"

"Does Kol love me?"

Klaus sat down on the edge of the bed, his heart did twitch a little at the look of sorrow in her eyes. He was going to have a talk with his younger brother when they were reunited. "Of course he does"

Davina raised her eyebrow at Klaus's definite answer. "How do you know?"

"I know because Kol does not love easily Davina, he is very similar to me in that aspect. If he has told you that he loves you, believe it, he wouldn't say it unless it was true"

Davina tugged her blankets up a little higher. "Who do you love, Klaus?"

Klaus closed his eyes. "It is all very simple, my dear. I love my siblings, no matter what they do the love will always stay. I love Marcel, he is my son. Cami, is the first woman I have loved in many years. Hope, I love Hope wherever she may be in this world, she is the light at the end of a very dark tunnel" He noticed the sullen look on the teenagers face, the vulnerable emotion in her eyes. "And you, little love, how could I not love the witch who fought to find me when my own family abandoned me. The girl who stole my heart an inch at a time after she hated me so deeply" He brushed his thumb across her cheek. "Sleep now, tomorrow I am going to bring Kol home to you"

"I never thought I would say this Klaus, because I never thought life would turn out like this but…" She watched him as he stood up from her bed. "I do love you too"

Klaus chuckled. "Isn't that something" He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead tenderly, in the way he would have done it if she were Hope. "Sleep"

He walked across the room, switching the light off and shutting the door behind him. He could barely remember the last time he had placed a child to bed, wishing them goodnight. It was not something he had done frequently in his past. Yet it warmed his heart a little more than it had been in the previous nights.  
He made his way back to his room, opening and closing the door behind him. He found himself smiling yet again at her curled up sleeping figure. Smiling was not an action he did a lot ever, yet he had found himself smiling more since his return to the living then he thought possible. It was owed to Davina, Cami and Marcel; they were the ones who brought it out in him.

Sleep would come, he felt positive, when he slid into bed beside her and pulled her close to him. Sleep would come and when he woke he would look for his brother, he would bring Kol home and almost every would be right in the world. Hope would be the only one missing.

 **/~/~/**

"It has to be Klaus, name one other person who would wish us dead like this"

Elijah rubbed his head as Hayley shouted at them. "Hayley…"

"Elijah, you are putting our daughter at risk by not admitting that I could be right. Klaus could be walking around New Orleans" She was not paying enough attention to notice the way he flinched when she called Hope their daughter, as though he had some claim to her.

"Then we go back, we'll make sure Niklaus isn't roaming and then we will find the person who threatens this family"'

"Elijah, is this our only option?"

"We have no choice. If this is not Niklaus then we have an advantage if we fight the battle from our territory. New Orleans is our home, we simply take it back"

"Are you forgetting about Marcel? He lives in our home, and he made his opinion quiet clear about our plan to get rid of Klaus, he will not welcome us back" Rebekah told them, she felt like all she did in the past few months was have family meetings regarding this topic. All she wanted was a little peace not constant conflict.

"This person is hunting us down wherever we are. We will not run any longer; our best chance is to go home" Elijah set the idea in firm place. It was the truth that they had fled New Orleans to stay safe, to place distance between Klaus and themselves but now that they were being hunted again the place seemed fit for them to defend themselves.

"The three of you need to go ahead, remove Marcel from our home. Dispose of anything that could be linked to Klaus. Hope doesn't know the truth and she never needs to, ten years of this will not be destroyed within seconds"

"I'll stay with you"

"No" Hayley stood up, taking Elijah's hand in her own. "I want some time with my daughter, we'll take a small detour on the way to New Orleans, we'll be a few days behind you" She touched the side of his face. "I know you want to stay and protect us, but you know I can protect Hope just find. You however need to protect our secret; you need to protect her innocence"

"We have an issue" Freya interrupted the couple, holding the piece of paper in hands up so that they could all read.

 _One  
Two  
Three  
Four  
I am nearly at the door  
Five  
Six  
Seven  
You better believe that there is heaven  
Eight  
Nine  
Ten  
Your time is coming to an end_

* * *

 **Thoughts?**

 **Reviews:  
Guest: Whooooo! Kol's entrance is not far away now.  
Guest: There will be more Kol flashbacks!**

 **Much Love. x**


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

" _ENOUGH!"_

 _He was sure the shout could be heard from miles, when he stepped through the doors he never expected to be faced with what he deemed to be one of the biggest family feuds the Mikaelson' family had ever faced. Never in his years had they feuded to the point that one was holding bullets that could wipe the entire original family from earth.  
However what caught his attention making his blood run cold was the sight of Freya who stood before Kol using a spell to keep him immobilised. His little witch face to face with his little sister, Davina's eyes alight with fury while Rebekah looked like she had been drained of all life. Cami had clearly been trying to do the same as Elijah and calm the situation yet it had no effect. _

" _I SAID ENOUGH!"_

 _Eight hours ago he had wondered from the compound on a mission to find his little brother, the day had been normal yet now he accessed the situation in front of him with the knowledge that he was about to face all his remaining living siblings at once including the ones who betrayed him._

 **8 Hours Earlier**

"Are you being honest with me when you say that you must do this alone?"

Klaus turned away from his closet, adjusting the jacket so it sat on his body properly. The concern rising within Cami's eyes was not an emotion that seemed new when it came to her thinking of him. "I am, love. I need to be alone when I see Kol for the first time since he died"

Cami walked towards him, grabbing a hold of his jacket using it to tug him closer to her. "I want you to take one of Marcel's vampires or Marcel himself"

Klaus smirked. "Love, we cannot play now"

Cami hit his chest lightly, the flirty tone in his voice ticking her off slightly. "I am being serious" She watched the way Klaus's tongue ran along his bottom lip; he was not hiding the fact that he was drinking in the sight of her standing before him in nothing but his shirt. "Klaus…"

"I hear you love but there is no need, I will be fine. Besides Marcel is needed here to keep you and Davina from harm"

"I am sure Davina and I will be fine. You however haven't seen Kol in over ten years; he has had plenty of time to change"

Klaus placed his hands on her hips, inching his shirt up so that his fingers could brush against her skin. "Indeed he has, yet he will always be my little brother. Do you doubt me, love?"

Cami shivered at the sensation of his fingertips brushing against her. "No. I would just like a little reassurance that you will come home to me safe and unharmed"

"So I shall at your request" He leaned down and kissed her directly on the mouth. "You'll see me again, Camille. Have you forgotten I am Niklaus Mikaelson, the original hybrid…?"

Cami rolled her eyes. "Like I could forget that, Nik…"

The name rolled off her tongue sending an unfamiliar sensation through Klaus. He moved his hands back down to her hips and took a firm hold bringing her closer to him as he kissed her. "Say it again"

Cami smiled against is lips. "Nik" She breathed his name, he kissed her again deeply holding her close to him not allowing her an inch of movement, sometimes she loved for him to just hold her like he did, possessive that she was his exactly how she wanted it to be. "Oh, you should go and get your brother, bring him home but more importantly come back to me" Cami spoke after the kiss ended.

"As you wish" He let go of her, his hands sliding from her hips in a slow motion and then he was gone from the room in just a few quick steps.

 **/~/~/**

 _Today will start a series of events.  
Everything that has been will change.  
Never doubt your place.  
You've fought for it, earned it. _

Davina frowned as she read the words over and over on the paper, she knew Klaus's handwriting, it didn't belong to him which made her wonder who wrote it. Marcel, it wasn't him, he was still in his room passed out since she could hear him snoring. It wasn't Cami's writing which confused her even more.  
She scrunched it up and through it in the trash can by her desk, it was probably old, something that had been hidden in a book and fallen out.  
She grabbed her jacket off the chair and stood in front of the mirror as she placed it on. Today was going to change everything Kol would be coming home; she was going to see him again. Despite what Klaus had said last night a part of her doubted his love, if he did love her then why would he stay away. He could have been with her through the nine years that it took to find Klaus but he chose not to be. To her that screamed that he did not love her as he should.

Hearing the sound of footsteps she knew Klaus was getting ready to leave so she ran her hand through her dark hair and tossed it over her shoulder. "This is it" She mumbled to herself, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

…

One thousand years of life yet he had never had to search for Kol, his younger brother had always been beside him or daggered in a box for his own protection. His blood ran cold at the thought of him being the one to dagger his younger brother, now that he had lived through the experience he never planned to do that to him again.  
In honesty it had been for Kol's protection since if there was a weakness that his father had learnt to exploit it was his love for the younger Mikaelson. It made Klaus aware that he had needed to hide is love for Kol so deep that it made it seem as though he disliked his younger brother.

"I am coming with you"

Klaus raised his eyebrow as he looked up to see Davina standing at the top of the stairs with her arms crossed, he immediately shook his head. "You are not"

"I love him, I should be there with you" Davina protested, she could not remember the last time someone had cared for her the way Klaus did and while it was refreshing, it was also restricting.

Klaus crossed his arms over his chest matching her stance. It was not that he underestimated Davina's love for Kol nor Kol's love for Davina. He just simply wanted a few moments to make sense of what was occurring in his younger brother's head before he brought him home to the little witch. "You are to stay here Davina, within the compound. I will bring Kol home to you"

"You cannot keep me locked up, Klaus"

"I am not" He exhaled, looking into her eyes. "I do not know what state of mind Kol will be in when I find him"

Davina wriggled her nose at the thought that her love could somehow be a different person, she hoped he wasn't. The Kol she had fallen in love with was sweet, protect and loyal. He never would have hunted his family and that made her worry that the Kol that was resurrected wouldn't be the one she loved. "I should be there"

"No" Klaus disagreed, the last thing he wanted was for Kol to be in a different frame of mind an hurt Davina, not that he thought his brother would it was just a precaution. "I have a task for you while I am gone, I want you to link a map to my enemies and see if any are based near my family. Could you do that?"

Davina frowned. "You know I can but I still think…"

"I left some blood in my art studio, use that for the link. Davina, I am not doing this to shut you out, believe me when I say it is to protect you" He blurred up the stairs and brushed the strand of hair away from her eyes. "I will not keep him from you; I just need to be sure that he is still the same Kol before I bring him home to you"

Davina sighed, stepping forward she gently hugged him. "I want the both of you to come back safe"

"Of course we will, little love, no harm will come to either of us" He smirked with confidence, pulling back from her. "Behave yourself. Marcel is here to protect you and Cami. Perhaps spend some time with her"

"I will"

Klaus gave her a light kiss on the forehead before taking long strides down the stairs towards the doors that led to the street. It was time to reunite with the one brother that knew all the torment he had faced within life.

 **/~/~/**

Rebekah  
Elijah  
Freya  
Hayley

Elijah  
Rebekah  
Freya  
Hayley

He spoke the names over and over within his mind trying to decipher the order in which he would kill them. He could not decide who he would approach first, the sister whom Klaus had loved fiercely, protected and cherished, or should it be the brother whom Klaus had looked up too, the brother that was supposed to help him stay sane through all the craziness. He wished it was possible to kill them both at the exact same moment, for there betrayal, after all they had promised Niklaus _always and forever_.  
He glanced down at the picture in his lap, there had once been a time when they had all been equally happy yet it was stolen from them by Mikael. Stolen from them by the father that was meant to love and protect them from all harm. Never had he protected Niklaus instead choosing to bring only fear and pain to the brother that Kol loved.  
The loathing Kol felt for his siblings and Hayley was mounting to what he felt for Mikael. It was what he felt for anyone who caused Klaus suffering. He'd end the life of anyone who stood in the way of Nik's happiness, like he should have done to Mikael when he was standing above him with the sword.

Rebekah  
Elijah

It was between the two, Rebekah being the one that Nik had loved most, always keeping her by his side. However Elijah had fallen for Hayley, the werewolf girl that had carried Klaus' child. He had aided in the plan that had taken Hope from Niklaus. That sense of betrayal would have been forgiven had Elijah not taken Hope and in a way become her father.

Elijah  
Rebekah

One of them would die first…tonight.

 **/~/~/**

"Are you certain this is the right course of action to take, Elijah? Once we confront Marcel we cannot go back"

Elijah turned to look at Rebekah, fiddling with the cuffs on the end of his suit. "This is our home, sister, we were wrong to flee. We should have buried Niklaus and reclaimed what was taken from us" He stared at the home that was just within his reach. "We do not run, not anymore"

"Then let's take back what is ours" Freya spoke, following Elijah and Rebekah as they walked through the doors of the place they had once called home.

"Marcellus!" Elijah called out his name to attract the younger vampire's attention; though while he could smell Marcel's scent in the air it was clearly old which made him acknowledge that the younger vampire was not on the premises at the current time. Instead his attention was attracted to the two people he had known before he fled New Orleans with Hayley and Hope. He did not ever expect to see that they had not aged, vampires now instead of a witch and a human.

"You're vampires. You have not aged a day…"

Davina stood up and blurred over to him, fury alight with in her eyes at their presence. "Leave! You are not welcome here" This was no longer their home, just the pure thought of them being on the premises erked her to want to use the magic flowing in her veins.

"Davina" Cami walked over to the group, placing her hand calmly on the sixteen years olds shoulder, she was suddenly very thankful that Klaus was out looking for Kol and Marcel was out meeting with a few of his scouts.

"This is our home, Davina; we were always destined to return. Would either of you be able to tell us of Marcel's whereabouts?" Elijah smiled kindly at them both, the nobel gentleman arising within him.

Cami raised her eyebrow. "He is busy at the present time" It was no lie; Marcel was speaking with several vampires about the possible threat that was heading towards New Orleans.

"You have it wrong. You left; you cannot claim this as your home after fleeing it for a second time. Life goes on after you leave, we have claimed this as ours now" Davina wanted nothing more than to burn them to the ground for what they did to Klaus, though she knew that it would not be what he would want. He had no intention of harming his family, for some strange reason he wanted them safe.

Freya took a step closer, her head slightly tilted as she studied Davina. "You love being a witch, why turn? Why chose this life as a vampire?"

Davina blinked, she was unphased by the question because she knew it would be asked. "I was sick of people pushing me around, as a vampire I am stronger, I defend myself and nobody takes advantage" She directed it to them; Hayley had taken her for granted when it came to protecting her unborn child. "Besides I am not ready to leave this life, for once I have a family"

"Cami, you weren't even in New Orleans when we left, how did you end up back here, one of us?"

Cami drew Davina closer to her, unsure of how her answer would cause the original family to react. "I felt the loss even as a human. Klaus missing was what drew me back to New Orleans; I transitioned so that we would have a chance at love when he came back to me"

"You're in love with Klaus. Niklaus Mikaelson, our brother? The hybrid who is not concerned with anything other than revenge and power?" Rebekah seemed stunned by the knowledge; she had known that Cami had feelings for Klaus because she left but never had she thought those feelings would extend to love.

"It is not such a pity that she will never lay eyes on Niklaus again, nor will I, and yet there is no one to blame more then you three. Or perhaps there is, where is the wolf girl, mother of my niece?"

" _ **Kol?!**_ " Davina's eyes widened at the sight of her beloved standing just mere steps away from her, however he was nothing like the Kol she remembered instead he was in his original body, the one in which he was an original vampire. The air about him seemed darker, his demeanour intimidating. "Kol, you are here" The words slipped from her lips, Klaus was out looking for the younger brother that was standing before her.

"Brother…"

Kol did not acknowledge Davina; his mind was only rolling on one track, eyes narrowed in on Elijah. "It is you who stole Niklaus from us, it is you who will die today for all the pain you have caused"

"How is this possible?" Rebekah mumbled taking a step backwards away from her slightly older brother. "What are you talking about, you hated Nik, he daggered you" The ramblings followed from Rebekah's mouth. "Did you not want revenge for all those times Nik took what you loved, what made you happy, for all the times that he caused you pain and suffering?"

"YOU KNOW NOTHING!" Kol shouted at his little sister, the words ringing through the courtyard, they knew nothing of his relationship with Klaus, nothing of how much he was hurting.

Elijah placed his hand gently on Rebekah's arm; she had flinched at the sound of Kol's cold and angry voice. The anger was unsettling; he could see that his brother was shaking as he tried to control the rage. "Kol, you need to calm down"

"DO NOT TELL ME TO CALM DOWN, ELIJAH! YOU DESERVE EVERYTHING I DO TO YOU AND MORE. YOU NOT ONLY TOOK OUR BROTHERS FREEDOM, YOU TOOK HIS DAUGHTER" Kol slowly pulled a wooden bullet from his pocket, rolling it between his fingers for all to see.

"Kol…"

"You never thought to ask yourselves why Nik is damaged and hateful, you never thought to question why our father hunted us. For thousand year old vampires you are not very smart. Nik has never run from an enemy yet our father instilled fear that made him run, why do you believe that is?"

"Kol" Davina breathed his name, she wanted his attention, some sort of explanation as to how he was standing before her but Cami grabbed her hand preventing her from walking towards him.

"Leave him be, sweetie, we won't let him kill them but he needs this" The hurt that was radiating from Kol was evident, she could practically feel it. Thinking that he had lost Klaus was tearing him up more than imaginable. He had no idea that Klaus was looking for him.

"What the bloody hell are you talking about Kol? Father hunted us all!"

Kol cocked an eyebrow at Rebekah, the sweet innocent Rebekah that Nik had always cherished. "Father did not hunt us sister; he did not hunt Elijah or Finn. He hunted only for Nik. For the son he hated, the son he called an abomination"

"That can't be true" Freya spoke for the first time, she did not know Niklaus growing up, she knew the bare minimum about their childhood but she did have a clear image of the loving father that Mikael had been before she was taken. He was a man that would never want to kill his child.

"Yet it is"

"I do not understand. Father loved his children" The nights that their father had tucked her into bed, kissing her on the forehead tenderly, wishing her sweet dreams, those nights were still fresh in her mind. Not a man that his children would ever need to fear.

Kol laughed bitterly, his father had never laid a hand on any of his siblings apart of Niklaus though it did not mean he was a doting father. Freya had not been around to experience the life after she was taken. "He loved you Freya and you _**died**_ , he did not look at Nik with love. He could not bond with him; I would go as far as to say father hated Nik"

"Father could never hate his children; he was not that type of man"

Rebekah did not understand where Kol's protective nature towards Nik emerged from. "Where is this coming from?" She interrupted Freya. "You did not share much of a relationship with Nik. If a member of this family were to stand by him then it would be, yet I did not. The baby, Hope, she had to come first"

Kol stared at his little sister, the one that Klaus loved so dearly, the one he had been told to always protect. "Hope should have spent the last **ten** years with her father, not only did you steal that time from him, you stole it from her"

Elijah exhaled; the topic of discussion was not allowing them to move forward. None of them had known that Kol was alive, they should have been celebrating and enjoying this reunion instead they were arguing over a bother that was buried at sea. "What kind of father would Niklaus have been to Hope? You must look at it from our prospective, we daggered him in the best interests of the child. Let us cease this discussion and enjoy a celebration of your return to us"

Kol raised his eyebrow at Elijah, holding the wooden bullet up. "He would have made a better father then Mikael was to him, you would have known that if you bothered to pay attention" He listened to the gasp that came from his sisters mouths and yet it only made him smirk with delight. It was like they finally understood who had been hunting them.

"Kol" Cami called his name softly, she had been watching the scene play out in front of her, the words being tossed back and forth, allowing the family to make their own discoveries about the relationship between the brother but she could not let any harm come to the family if she did then she could only imagine the anger that Klaus would feel. "This isn't the right way"

"Brother, we are your family. Think about what you are doing" Elijah spoke tenderly as he took the arms of his sisters bringing them closer to him, if he needed to he would push them behind him and protect them.

Cami let go of Davina's hand. "Think about what Klaus would want. Would he want you to hurt your family, your blood?"

"Nik would want revenge on those that betrayed him, the people that took his child. He would want me to wipe our family from his world"

"Brother, family does not hurt family"

"WRONG!" Kol snapped, loading the gun from his other pocket, the wooden bullets hand crafted to fit. "What is it you did to Niklaus, Elijah? Are you not hurting him?"

"We only did what Nik would do to us when we betrayed him, Kol. We gave him a taste of his own medicine, nothing more" Rebekah cried out. "Did you forget the times Klaus daggered you, it is all fair!"

"No, sister, that is where you are wrong" Kol glanced up from the gun, looking his little sister in the eye. "You took his daughter, his only child from him, that is a far worse punishment then, any dagger" He turned the gun on Elijah, who quirked an eyebrow stunned by his brothers movement. "You first"

"NO!" Rebekah let the shout escape from her lips, shooting forward at the same time Davina did.

Davina blocked the path between Rebekah and Kol, her body inches from the sister that Klaus loved so deeply. "Leave him be, Rebekah" Davina stood her ground not allowing the blonde to past her.

"He'll kill Elijah" Rebekah glared down at Davina, her body full of fear, the thought of losing another member of the family made her heart sink.

The younger vampire could see that there was a sense of fear within Rebekah's eyes. "No he won't" Davina mumbled softly, no matter how angry Kol was, Davina did not believe that he would openly kill a member of his family, that was not the Kol that she fell in love with.

Kol turned the gun toward his little sister, perhaps she should be the first to go. Yet staring at her face he could almost feel Nik's stern words penetrating his body, "S _he is your little sister too, you protect her always and forever. The vow Kol, always remember the vow"_.

"Kol, brother, it does not have to be this way. In a hundred years we could free Niklaus, is it enough time to heal as a family, to give Hope a chance to live her life on her own allowing her to grow into the person she wishes to be. You are our family Kol, _always and forever"_

"DOES THAT NOT APPLY TO NIK?! YOU ARE A HYPOCRITE ELIJAH, NIK IS OUR FAMILY, HE IS THE ONE THAT YOU PROMISED _ALWAYS AND FOREVER_ TO!"

"He is a liability to Hope's future!"

Kol immediately turned the gun on his older sister, pure rage written across his facial expression. "You DO NOT know him!" His shouts were like booming bursts of thunder. "Maybe it ought to be you who dies first, after all you judged Nik before you knew him" He did not hesitate for a moment longer, he fired the gun.

"KOL"

"BROTHER"

Freya raised her hand using her magic to immobilise Kol and the bullet. "Why must this family try to harm each other?"

"Freya, are you alright, sister?" Elijah turned to look at the witch beside him, concern was written across his features.

Davina grabbed Rebekah's arm at the lightening speed. "You release him, or so help me I will find a way to kill Rebekah on the spot"

"Davina" Cami scolded stepping forward to move around Kol who was frozen still.

"ENOUGH!"

* * *

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	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

"Niklaus?"

His brother's voice drove through him like a stake through the heart causing an agonising pain to shiver through his body; he couldn't bring himself to look at the brother he had once silently admired, acknowledging their presence would mean he would have to acknowledge the pain that they brought him.  
Klaus took big strides across the concrete floor reaching Cami first; his eyes ran over her body taking in every aspect of her. His mind was racing at a million miles, the thought that harm could have come to her or Davina disturbed him greatly, he needed to know that they were safe before he dealt with what was occurring.

"Are you alright, love?"

Cami nodded, a small smile gracing her lips as she leaned up and kissed him briefly, the small action to show that she was with him. "I am fine, Klaus. Kol…"

"I'll get to him" He promised capturing her lips in another quick brief kiss, he could hear the gasp of disbelief escape Rebekah's lips though he not give her the satisfaction of turning to speak with her. "Davina" He turned away from Cami and took hold of Davina's arm, gently but firmly tugging her towards him, giving her no option other than to release Rebekah. "Are you alright?"

"No" Davina stared at him stubbornly, her face filled with anger. "I will kill them all if they do not release him"

Klaus couldn't help the tiny smirk that crossed his lips, despite that fact that they were not related by blood they were similar in many aspects. The girl before him would do anything to defend and protect those she loves. "Let me deal with it" He told her sternly, this wasn't a fight that he wanted her mixed within, he already hated that he had not been in the vicinity when his family had arrive, he had left yet he knew that it wasn't a choice, he had been trying to find Kol. Klaus stepped forward and swiped the bullet from mid-air and into his hand, taking the moment to look briefly into Freya's eyes, the sister he barely knew. "Release him"

"Nik, no, he tried to kill Freya, he wants to kill all of us" Rebekah's voice was shaky, for the first time in ten years she was seeing her brother and didn't even want to look at her. She was nervous, she knew he was bound to rage at her and while he had before she knew this would be worse. Not only was this disappointment, this was betrayal.

"Release him" Klaus spoke calmly again, trying to swallow the rage that was slowly building within his stomach.

Freya shook her head, she was not aware of how Klaus had been freed and they would need to discuss it but she would not free Kol until they had decided what they would do with him. He was a danger to the family in this moment. "No"

"RELEASE HIM!" Klaus thundered yet Freya no made no move to allow Kol his freedom so he turned to her fully allowing her to see the fire alight within his eyes something they had not seen since they buried him and then he spoke in a tone that sounded deadly. "You release him, or Kol wanting to kill you will be the least of your worries" He non-directly threatened her.

Freya turned to Elijah who was staring at his younger half-brother, watching him watch their little brother with a look of concern. He had never seen Klaus look at Kol like that before which made him spark with curiosity. "Release him" Elijah confirmed, he knew that his older sister wouldn't hesitate and she didn't.

Kol stumbled forward as the immobilising magic wore off, blinking rapidly to refocus his vision and regain his balance. "What happened…Nik…" He blinked again, trying to focus on the face in front of him.

Klaus nodded, taking a step forward cautiously, he knew that Kol could be volatile at times. "It is me"

"No" Kol took two steps backwards, not allowing Klaus any closer. "This is some kind of mind trick, you are daggered. Freya, stop this, this instant"

"This is no mind trick Kol, I am here" Klaus tried to reassure his brother.

"No" Kol shook his head, refusing to believe what was in front of him, the gun quivering in his head. "A trick, it's a trick, you're buried, I will never find you" He mumbled to himself.

"It's no trick, Kol, I am right here"

Kol stared past him at Freya. "Stop it now. Stop it" He demanded loudly, his voice rumbling, a desperate look crowding his features.

"I am not doing anything" Freya tried to calm him down.

"Kol, Niklaus is here, right in front of you" Elijah tried to reassure his little brother, he had never seen Kol act as though he was in this moment.

Klaus searched through his mind, looking for something he could say to make Kol believe that it was him. He needed Kol to focus on him and no one else, he could see that it was tearing his younger brother up inside to think that he was still buried. "If I was a mind trick belonging to Freya would I know the promise we made when you were eight?"

Kol blinked staring at Klaus as if he was waiting for him to continue. "Well…?"

"I promised you always and forever, to protect, love and trust you baby brother, my life for yours if need be"

"Nik" The disbelief but relief flowing from Kol's mouth.

Klaus had to hold his ground ad Kol hugged him, the gun dropping from his hand onto the floor. "I'm here little brother, right here"

"I thought I would never see you again. They must pay for what they have done"

Klaus pulled away slightly, his hand on Kol's neck, their foreheads pushed together. "You never have to worry about me leaving. However Kol, we do not kill family"

Kol raised his eyebrow clearly not expecting that from Klaus. "They…"

"Never" Klaus leaned down to pick up the gun. "Cami, can you take this and place it upstairs, somewhere safe, love" He held the gun out to her and see took it along with the bullets that Klaus took from Kol.

Kol reached out to grab them; his mission was not complete until he made them pay for making Klaus suffer. "No, give them to me. I am going to kill them…"

Klaus grabbed Kol by the arm, restricting him from grabbing the bullets. "Take them" He reassured Cami who obliged. "Enough!" He spun Kol back towards him. "Enough. I would endure it all again to know that you are safe, that our family is safe. Remember what I told you are a boy, I protect you but it brings an inch of harm your way then you are not to try and protect me"

Davina had inched her way closer to them, unable to handle being able to see Kol yet not touch him. It was different seeing him in his original body instead of the body that she had met him in, however her love for him did not change, it still lingered within her along with the anger she felt toward him for not being around allowing her to believe that he was still dead. "Sorry I can't wait anymore" Davina mumbled when Klaus tilted his head in her direction acknowledging her presence.

Klaus chuckled. "Quiet alright, my little love. Have your reunion, I have family to deal with" He gave his brother a stern look, patting him on the back. "I believe you have some explaining to do brother"

Kol did not acknowledge Davina for a moment, his eyes were on Klaus. "I will not leave you alone with them"

Niklaus cocked his eyebrow, making Kol rethink the words he had spoken. "You do not have a choice. Go, take Davina upstairs. I believe you need to talk"

Davina reached out for Kol's hand but he pulled back. "I am not a child anymore, Nik; you cannot protect me from this. They wished you harm, I am older, stronger and able to help you"

"I do not understand this. You made a pact, the two of you, the two brothers who do not like one another"

Klaus turned to Rebekah out of all his siblings Rebekah and Kol were the youngest, they were the ones he vowed to protect knowing that Elijah could defend himself. After all these years together he had never thought that she would be the one to leave his side, to betray him in such a manner. "I have never disliked Kol, Rebekah. Family is family" He watched as Rebekah turned her head to the side, her face showed a surprised reaction that he had spoken to her but also one of jealously that he was standing by Kol not her.

"Brother, you must be angry, though I beg of you to understand why we…"

"I do not wish to hear your excuses Elijah, you stole my child from me, the greatest treachery this family has ever seen' Klaus rubbed his face with his hand. He wanted nothing more than to enact some kind of revenge but what was there left to do. He could not bring himself to dagger them as they had done to him, he could not take family from them as they were family, he could not kill them. He had nothing left to do.

"We wanted to give Hope her best chance"

"I AM HER FATHER!" He could not contain his shout, looking into Freya's eyes, the sister he barely knew anything of thought that she knew better. "Did it not occur to you that I…her father, might be able to give her that? After a thousand years, how could you doubt what I would tell you?" His words now directed at Elijah and Rebekah. "I have never been anything other than devoted to your safety. Did you assume that I would not feel the same way about Hope's?" the way his daughters name rolled off his tongue felt familiar but there was nothing familiar about it.

"You were never devoted to our safety Nik; it was always about your curse, your hybrid nature. You said it was stolen from you by our mother yet you always failed to clue us in on the how" Rebekah stared at her brothers, they stood side by side. "You were never close to Kol, it was always me and yet even I could not stand by and watch you corrupt your daughter"

Kol launched forward with purpose, slamming Rebekah into the stone pillar behind her with such intensity that a few pieces of stone chipped away, his hand squeezed around her throat. "YOU HAVE NO IDEA! WHEN OUR FATHER, OUR VAMPIRE HUNTING FATHER HAD ME PRESSED UP AGAINST THE WALL IT WAS NIK WHO PLACED HIMSELF BETWEEN US. DO NOT EVER QUESTION HIS DEVOTION TO OUR SAFETY"

"BROTHER!" Elijah blurred over to them, gripping Kol's arm to try and pull him off Rebekah, noticing the rage in Kol's eyes.

Freya raised her hand to immobilise him once again though it was Klaus who made her question herself, he glared at her with a silent warning not to use magic on their brother. "It won't harm him"

"We do not use magic to control our family" He blurred forward, placing a hand on Kol's shoulder, eyes connected to Elijah. "Don't touch him" He watched Elijah's confused expression as he retracted his hand. "Let go, little brother" Klaus spoke softly, he looked at Rebekah, his head tilted as he checked to make sure she was okay, a fleeting look of concern could be seen within his eyes before it disappeared. "Kol, let her go" This time he used his strength to push Kol from Rebekah's body; his sister leaned against the pillar coughing. "Go upstairs, have some blood, wind down" He shoved Kol towards the stairs, much like he had done over the years, his eyes finding Davina who looked stunned by the scene. "Little love, can you make sure he stays put"

Davina surprised the members of the original family when she moved towards Klaus, taking a moment she wrapped her arms around him in a quick hug. "Call if you need" She knew that he would understand that if he needed her to, she would use magic.

Klaus smirked at her protective nature. "Nothing will harm me. Go be with Kol, you make sure you call out if you need" He was a little worried about Kol's anger at the moment.

Davina smiled a little to let him know that she would be fine, and she pulled back. "Make them pay. Would you like me to get Cami to call Marcel?"

"No" Klaus shook his head, Marcel was busy and it was better that he didn't have anyone around to witness the showdown between him and his family. "Leave him, just concentrate on Kol" He gently pushed her towards his brother who was pacing at the bottom of the stairs glaring at his three siblings.

Klaus waited until Davina and Kol had walked upstairs before he turned to his family. He did not know how to approach his siblings, what was there left to say? They had taken his only biological child from him, raised her for over ten years. Anger did not cover the way he felt, he was absolutely furious with them. He would never have considered such a thought it the child had been Elijah or Rebekah's.

"Brother, let us talk rationally…"

Klaus chuckled dryly; Elijah had always been the peacemaker, the brother that claimed to be nobel. It was him that now tried to defuse the situation though he had daggered him without hesitation. "Rationally? You want us to speak rationally about the past TEN years?!"

Freya was the first of the three to take a step forward. "You must understand, Hope was our only concern. Your enemies, we thought they would cease if they thought you were dead"

"THAT WAS NOT WHY YOU DID IT" Klaus words thundered through the room. "A life without me meant freedom; apparently I prevented you from leading your own lives. Yet it was the three of us who vowed _always and forever_ "

Rebekah who was still leaning against the pillar silently, looked towards her older brother that those words. "We seem to not be the only siblings your vowed that too" Rebekah raised her eyebrow at Klaus; he had made a pact with Kol that included more than they had ever told one another. She couldn't help the small spark of jealously that arose within her.

"And yet you daggered Kol as well" Freya spoke; she had been caught up slightly on the family history, in all the parts that Klaus played the evil brother. At one point or another he had daggered them all even Kol.

Klaus spun slightly to face Freya completely. 'You do not know me; do not pretend that you do. I only ever daggered my siblings for their protection. You wanted to live life away from me, Rebekah" He looked back at his little sister. "Yet how was I supposed to ensure your safety if you left. I could not very well spend every waking moment tracking your whereabouts"

"I did not need your protection around the clock; do not pretend that I was all you cared for when it was your curse that really mattered"

Klaus shot forward, standing mere inches from her body shocking her. "It was never all I cared for, little sister, I cared for you. Why do you think it is that I kept you close?"

"Niklaus" Elijah spoke his brother's name, trying to entice the attention away from Rebekah; he did not like the look on Klaus's face and was slightly unsure of what the rage within his brother would cause him to do.

"You never understood. A part of my identity was bound by our mother, I was only looking to make myself whole, I should never have been denied my birth right" All he had ever wanted was to be whole, to be the person his mother had prevented him being since the moment he was born, they had never understood that since they were already whole.

Elijah walked slowly across the floor towards his brother and sister. "You have never explained your hatred towards our parents, yet whatever they did to make you this way made you paranoid that in the end we would inevitably betray you"

Klaus smirked bitterly. "Yet is not paranoia when my fears come to light"

Rebekah stared at the brother that had once loved her dearly, cherished her from a child to the woman she became. "Where do we go from here? What punishment will you inflict upon us, Nik?"

Klaus stared at her, he wanted nothing more than to hurt them for all that they had put him through, he wanted them to feel the agonising pain that he felt knowing his daughter was ten years old and half way to be grown up without him by her side. "That is just it Rebekah, I have no punishment for you" He stepped back seeing the confusion across her face. "I will not dagger you as you did to me, killing you is not an option as that would only be a moment of pleasure which would then we crushed by Hope's shattering disappointment and my last option is to take a family member from you like you did to me, again another useless option" He gestured to three of them. "You see Rebekah, I have no punishment for you yet I cannot forgive you for what you have done"

"Klaus"

Klaus turned to look at Freya. "I say this once, a warning to you. If you ever use magic on Kol in any way other than to protect them, I will kill you. dagger me and I let you live, a rare form of kindness from a monster like myself, but lay a finger on Kol and I'll end your life, family or not"

"You protect them" The notion did not come easy to Freya, from what she understood Kol was not Klaus's favourite sibling.

"Of course, he is my little brother. Yet he is not the only one that applies to. Do not think of going after Camille, and if I hear of you hurting my children, may that be Hope, Marcel or Davina…death will be nothing but a kindness" He threatened them, his voice never raising which made them realise the seriousness of the threat.

"Brother, give us a chance to explain, to make this right"

"YOU CANNOT MAKE THIS RIGHT, ELIJAH. I LOST TEN YEARS WITH HOPE BECAUSE OF YOU. FROM WHAT I CAN GATHER YOU ARE THE FATHER MY DAUGHTER HAS COME TO KNOW. I CANNOT FORGIVE YOU, NOR FORGET" In a fit of rage he blurred across the floor, sinking his teeth into Elijah's neck, the older of the two brothers stunned by the turn of events.

"NIKLAUS!"

"NIK! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

Klaus pulled back, leaving Elijah holding his neck painfully. "She will always be my daughter, yet I have no doubt that she calls you father…I cannot forgive that Elijah. You believe in morals, you must understand that this kind of treachery cuts me deeper then you believe"

"What have you done?" Freya stepped up beside Elijah, taking a hold of his arm.

Elijah smiled weakly at her. "I'll be fine, I can withstand his bite, it will not kill me"

"What happened to _always and forever_ , Nik?"

Klaus chuckled bitterly. " _Always and forever_ ended the day you took Hope, Rebekah"

 **/~/~/**

Kol paced back and forth across the floor of his bedroom, listening to the conversation that was occurring between his siblings. He wished to be with Nik, standing by his brother's side. Though through the years he had grown accustomed to this way of life, Nik always protecting him from situations. However that hadn't stopped him from trying to leave the room, if it hadn't been for Davina casting a spell to seal the door then he would have been back downstairs within a second.  
His siblings knew nothing of what Nik had been through; if they did then they would understand why he was a certain way, why he protected them all so fiercely.

"Kol, sit down"

Kol turned to Davina, he had barely spoken to her since his return but he did not know where to begin, how to apologise for not being with her. He knew it would all be a shock, not only was he alive and standing before her, he was in his original body. She would have questions, she would demand answers but he didn't know what to say to her. "I cannot, if Nik, if he needs me…"

"Then we will hear and we will both go" Davina promised, standing and walking so that she was in front of him. "Why did you hide from me? Why not let me know that you were alive? I thought I failed Kol, I honestly thought that you were dead forever, that my magic as not enough to bring you back"

Kol stared down into her eyes, seeing the hurt floating through them. His head ached at the sight of it; he hated to know that he had hurt her. "All my life Nik has been by my side protecting me from things I did not know I needed protection from. When I was resurrected I immediately searched to find you, not only him but you as well" He reached out to touch the side of her face gently, his fingers running across her skin smoothly. "Yet I heard you, when I heard that Nik was daggered and missing, that they had run off with his daughter it was as though the uncontrollable monster within me took over. He had done nothing but protect me, avenge me and now it was my turn to do the same" He begged for her to understand why he had taken off on the revenge plot against his family.

"Kol…" Davina struggled to find the words.

"I do not expect you to understand, darling, I hoped you would but I understand that you can't after all even I struggle to comprehend my relationship with Nik at times, just know I only speak the truth when I say I never meant to hurt you"

Davina smiled softly, though the pain was still clear in her eyes. "I love him too you know, I suppose I would be dead if not for him"

"Then you'll help me to protect him?"

"Always" Davina leaned up and placed a chase his on his lips. "You have no idea how much I have missed you"

Kol chuckled, his arms wrapping around her waist. "I suppose it would be as much as I have missed you" He kissed her once more. "I am sorry, darling"

"Never be sorry for protecting family, just next time don't run from me, confide in me. I will help wherever I can" Davina placed her head against his chest. "We still need to have an in-depth conversation about this. I am angry Kol, I can't push that aside"

He leaned his cheek against the top of her head. "I know. I know you are"

 **/~/~/**

"Klaus" Cami called out his name softly, watching him storm into their room swiping all the belongings from his desk, her heart reached out to him when she saw the silent tears running down his cheeks. "Oh, Nik" The name rolled off her tongue smoothly as she stood up and blurred over to him.

"Where did it all go wrong? When did I lose everything?"

Cami grabbed him, holding him close as they sunk down to the floor. This was a position she never thought she would be in, to see the original hybrid look so broken. "It is going to be alright"

"It's never been alright" Klaus held her close, not willing to risk the thought of losing anyone else. Normally the thought of being vulnerable in front of people bothered him but Cami was different, she had been the first person he had loved in many years, she was allowed to see his true nature beneath the wall of the protection he had built around himself. "I lost her"

Cami knew exactly whom he was talking about; she pressed her lips against his cheek softly. "You will see her again, together we will bring Hope home" It was a promise, no doubt within her voice. Hope was his daughter and she would come home to New Orleans where she belonged.

"I love you"

The words were spoken in nothing more than a whisper and she took the time to savour them, knowing that he didn't always say them made the words more special when he did. "I love you too" She knew it was the reassurance he had been looking for when he relaxed into her body, the tears that had been rolling down his cheeks when he entered the room were soaking through her shirt and she realised then, in the moment with them both sitting on the floor, him in tears and her trying to fight them that there was more going on in his mind then he wanted to admit.

* * *

 **Thoughts?  
** **Thank-you for the review last chapter, I will get around to replying but I have a busy day ahead and I just wanted to get this posted for you all. I hope you enjoyed it.**

 **Much Love. x**


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

Elijah's moans of pain could be heard from all over the house, Klaus stayed in his room he could hear them penetrating through the walls. He didn't dare leaves the confines of his personal space, he knew if he did then the outcome would most possibly end up with Rebekah being bitten. He loved his little sister regardless of the betrayal and the thought of doing that to her made his insides twist a little. His relationship with her was one of complication just like his relationship with Kol.  
He leaned against the balcony railing heavily, staring out onto the street never had he broken down in front of someone, his whole life he had remained strong. Not even in his human life had he shown weakness in the fear that his father would know. Yet last night seemed to get to him, he had cried for what seemed to be the first time in hundreds of years.  
He did not know where to go from this point. Neither Elijah or Rebekah could take back what they had done; they could not fix the broken vow. And what was there to say about Freya, the sister he had barely had a chance to know, the sister who openly judged him based on the words of others.

"Nik"

He turned his head at the sound of Kol's voice, his younger brother had spent the rest of the night with Davina, part of Klaus was thankful, since he had been in no state to comfort and console Kol. "Little brother"

Kol smirked at the term of affection, joining his brother on the balcony. "Why are they still here, Nik?" The question was fair, his siblings had tried to kill his brother and yet Klaus allowed them to remain within the compound walls, the Nik ten years ago would have kicked them out.

Klaus exhaled, looking down at the people walking along the pavement below him. "Elijah is in no state to leave" His lips twitched a little, he did not mean to feel joy at the thought of hurting his brother but a part of him could not help but feel as though Elijah deserved the bite. "I think they would like to speak with you as well"

"I do not wish to speak with them"

Klaus could sense the stubborn nature within Kol. "Your loyalty is appreciated Kol but the fact remains they are your family too"

Kol shrugged. "They should not have betrayed you then"

Klaus didn't know how to respond to that, what was there to say, Kol was fiercely loyal. "They did what they thought was best, can't say it wasn't deserved" He let go of the rail he had been leaning against and moved inside.

Kol narrowed his eyes, following after his older brother. No matter what Klaus had done in the past, he would never forgive his siblings for what they had done. "Don't say that. No matter what you have done, this was not the appropriate action to take"

"I've done some horrible things, there is no denying that Kol" He picked up the bottle of whiskey from the table.

Kol leant against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest; he knew the words that would leave his mouth next would not go over well with Klaus. "Maybe if you told them the truth then they would understand why you are this way"

Klaus tightened his grip on the glass bottle, turning to face Kol. "You are treading a fine line" He warned knowing that while Elijah was hallucinating and probably unable to pay attention, Rebekah, Davina and Cami still had vampire hearing and they would pick up on what was being said.

Kol exhaled, he understood why Nik wanted his secret kept. He didn't want the family to pity him for what he had been through, endured at the hands of their father, he did not want them to know all that he had done to protect them. "Nik…"

"We've had his discussion before; I stand by my pervious answer. I trust you Kol; do not make me regret it"

Kol rolled his eyes; he was used to Nik's behaviour. "I would not breathe a single word about it without your consent, you know that. I uphold my promise to you"

Klaus nodded, a slight feeling of relief rolling through his body. "Did you manage to fix things with Davina; the little witch was heartbroken to know that you were not here with her"

"I fixed things…" He noticed Klaus's raised eyebrow. "I semi fixed things, she's very angry. It is going to take time…a lot of time. What is the deal between you two? I thought you despised each other" Kol dropped into the arm chair, kicking his legs up onto the table.

Klaus chuckled. "I do not hate the little witch; I have indeed grown quiet fond of her"

"Quiet obvious brother. You do recall calling her one of your children last night" Kol smirked, leaning his head back to observe his brother. He could tell that something had changed within Nik, yet he couldn't quiet put his finger on what that was.

"I am aware" He was well aware of the term he had used last night, unsure of why he said it to begin with but not willing to take the words back, whether he admitted it out loud or not Davina had become another daughter to him.

"Are you going to seek out Hope?" The question followed from Kol's lips regarding the niece he had out in the world.

"No"

"Nik, she is your daughter" Kol was a little thrown off by that, he was almost certain that Niklaus would want to search for his daughter and bring her home, where she belonged with him.

Klaus poured himself a glass. "I have not forgotten little brother, she is the reason I am not seeking to return to her life and resume my position"

Kol waved his hand in a manner that encouraged Klaus to carry on. "Care to share?"

Klaus raised his eyebrow. "It is unfair to turn her life upside down. Unlikely that she will even believe that I am her father"

"That isn't true. You know that you will have a connection with her…"

"How so? I am a stranger, nothing more. Elijah and Hayley raised her, it is him that she calls father…"

"You don't know that!"

"I do!" Klaus's voice raised a little as he picked up his glass. "Why would she trust anything I have to say?" Klaus took a swig from the glass, he would not confront Hope in fear of that rejection, there was nothing worse than the thought of being rejected by her. He loved Hope without knowing her and he would not upset her life for his own selfish gain.

Kol frowned; it was unlike Klaus to ever give up so easily, he fought for what he wanted no matter the cost. "You will give up before you even attempt to try?"

"I'll keep her safe, from a distance. Even you cannot deny that they are right about my enemies, I have many Kol. They wish to hurt me and I will never put Hope in harm's way" His head snapped towards the door, surprised to see his little sister standing in the doorway, he heard Kol growl. "Yes Rebekah?"

Rebekah stared at the two of them, she had heard some of what they were saying and she couldn't help but feel shocked by what Nik had said. Her mind had been screaming that he would wish to bring Hope into his home yet he wanted the opposite, it was a new side of Nik, one that she had never seen before. It was refreshing and yet she couldn't enjoy it because he hated her and that crushed her more then she wanted to admit. "I…um…"

"What do you want, sister?!" Kol spat the term; her mere presence only increased the rage that had been lurking in the pit of his stomach. He did not understand how Nik could remain so calm when he was usually the one who would be lashing out enacting some sort of revenge plan.

Klaus tilted his head, studying Rebekah; for once his usually talkative sister was completely speechless. She looked pale if that was possible for a vampire; her eyes not alight with the life that once flowed through her. "Is there something you wish to say?"

Rebekah turned to look at Nik, her eyes wandering away from Kol not at all liking the hatred that was clouding his eyes. "Are you going to leave Elijah in this state?"

"The bite will last just a few days, nothing our dear brother cannot handle" He shrugged his shoulders slight, acting indifferent to the bite that he had given his brother that would cause nothing but pain.

"If it was me he had to deal with, a bite would be the least of his worries. The things I wish to do to you, a bullet in your heart perhaps"

Klaus cleared his throat. "Kol, do not threaten our sister" He warned his brother, hearing another growl erupt from Kol in response. "I will not give my blood to Elijah; it is the least he deserves"

"And what of me?" Rebekah asked, raising an eyebrow at her brother. "What will you inflict upon me?" She wanted desperately to know what he would do to her as revenge for her part in the last ten years. She wanted it to be done with so that he would stop looking at her like she was nothing to him.

"Nothing" Klaus drained the rest of his glass.

Kol stood up, advancing towards her. "I will"

Klaus grabbed Kol's arm as his younger brother went to pass him. "Leave her be" He warned him, he hated to admit it but in his heart he would always have a soft spot for Rebekah, his only punishment for her had been the dagger and yet the thought of daggering anyone in his family made his stomach flip, as he had just endured that himself. "I suggest you leave, Rebekah. I may not wish any harm to come to you though I stand by what I said in the courtyard last night. I cannot forgive you" He turned away from her, not wanting to listen to her try and explain herself again for the hundredth time.

Rebekah exhaled, trying to fight the urge to cry which is what she wanted to do, Nik's words were hurting her more than any punishment would allow. "We will need to talk about this eventually Nik"

"Not now, we don't"

Kol waited for Rebekah to silently retreat leaving him alone with his big brother, the way it was before she had entered the room for a pointless conversation. "You alright?"

"I'm fine, Kol"

Kol raised his eyebrow, he had heard him last night, nearly came in to comfort him but a quick reminder from Davina told him that Klaus probably wouldn't like that. "You clearly aren't. You cherished Rebekah and she broke your trust"

"I broke hers long ago"

Kol frowned; nothing about how Klaus was acting was normal, his brother had changed. "I remember clearly what you did for her. You still love her, nothing will ever make you turn your back our sister" Kol acknowledged, he had always been slightly jealous over the connection Rebekah and Klaus had.

"No not be jealous, Kol" Klaus smirked at the bitterness he could hear in his younger brothers voice. "I have done nothing for Rebekah that I wouldn't do for you, little brother, you know that"

Kol rolled his eyes. "Yeah, Nik"

Klaus walked towards him, grabbing Kol by the shoulders looking sternly into his eyes. "I mean it. You mean more to me then most Kol, never doubt it"

Davina slipped silently into the room, taking in the moment in front of her, two of the most important men in her life sharing a moment, an affectionate moment, one she never thought she would see. She clicked into the camera on her phone and snapped a photo of the two brothers leaning with their foreheads pressed together. "Aw, brother love, isn't that the sweetest thing. Cami, you must see this"

Klaus had turned his head to face Davina when he heard the click of the camera. "Little love, you need to give me that phone"

Davina laughed. "So you can delete the photo? I think not" She pulled the photo up on her photo showing them the picture from across the room. "Cami, where are you? This is going to make great future blackmail"

Kol smirked at the displeasure on his brother's face. "You are going to need more then that piece of blackmail now that you are classed as his daughter; I sense many future groundings to come"

Davina stuck her tongue out, stepping behind Cami when she came into the room. "Klaus cannot ground me"

"Who says, little love?" Klaus raised his eyebrow, amused by the interactions; it was just what he needed to take his mind of everything that was happening, especially Elijah whose moans of pain were growing louder. "Because I beg to differ"

Cami looked over at her love, for the first time since his return he looked lighter. It was like the presence of Kol had somehow calmed him and she relished in the moment of seeing him somewhat smile. "Davina, you may also want to keep it to blackmail, Kol" She laughed at the displeased look on Kol's face.

"I think not. Give me that phone, Davina Claire" He grinned as he went to step towards her, she immediately moved out of the room her footsteps could be heard running down the hall. Kol shook his head and took off after her.

"Ah, is that what having children would be like?" Cami asked as she wrapped her arms around Klaus's waist.

Klaus hugged her body close to him. "It is, sweetheart. It is indeed"

Cami laughed lightly. "What will be the need for our own when we have them, right?" She nuzzled her face into Klaus's chest not paying attention to the way her words had caused him to freeze.

 **/~/~/**

"Mommy" Hope leaned her head against the window of the car, staring out at the trees that they passed by, nothing interesting had been seen for miles. "When are we going to see dad, Aunt Bekah and Aunt Freya?"

Hayley turned to look at her daughter, a piece of her wanted to flinch at the word _**dad**_. She undeniably loved Elijah and the love he had for Hope yet there were days that she felt guilty for forcing this life upon him, for making him become the father her child didn't have because she had taken her daughter from the man that was biologically her dad. It had been done in her safety, never had she thought that she would one day feel like this.  
It made it harder to think about since Elijah had stepped up and become quiet an amazing father to Hope, protecting her from all harm that should befall them. He was there for every important milestone even the ones that didn't seem like they were. He read to her, watched dance, helped her with homework. He was her father in every sense of the world except biologically and it scared Hayley, terrified her to know that one day her daughter could find out the truth behind the charred that was her family.

"Mom?"

Hayley shook the thoughts from her mind, taking a moment to look at her daughter before turning to focus back on the road. "We will join them soon"

Hope grinned, moving the hair out of her face. "I cannot wait to tell dad about our adventure"

Hayley bit her bottom lip, her hands squeezed tight around the steering wheel. She had to focus on why she had done this, Klaus was no good for their daughter, he would have corrupted her given the chance. Elijah was the better father for her and that was the most important thing. Hope would see that when she was older, she would understand the choice they made. Hayley had no choice other than to believe what she was telling herself.

 **/~/~/**

Klaus laid in bed, his head propped up on his hand so he could watch Cami as she slept clearly worn out after their early morning activities. He had yet to leave the sanctuary of his bedroom, yesterday he had spent the whole day hold up so he did not have to run into Freya or see Rebekah again, Elijah's moans had stopped ringing through the house so he would be feeling much like his old self and since Elijah was feeling better he hoped they would leave but he was doubtful. His older brother would have much to say to him regarding everything that occurred at the reunion including the bite.

"You're thinking too hard, it is disturbing me"

Klaus smirked, his fingertips brushing the hair from Cami's eyes when she turned to face him. "I wasn't aware you could hear my thoughts"

"Did I never tell you I am a mind reader?" Cami rolled her eyes. "You're tense; it's how I know you are thinking"

Klaus pulled her closer so that her head was rested on his chest. "Kol will not speak to them"

"Do you expect him to? Should he want to? Kol thought he had lost you because of them; it is natural that he would not want to speak with them. They not only betrayed you but they also betrayed him in a sense"

Klaus hummed in acknowledgment of what she had said. "I do not want him to fight my battles"

Cami ran her fingers along Klaus chest, fighting a laugh at his words. "Isn't that what you Mikaelson' do? He cares, he is your brother. That means it is natural for him to stand up for you"

"Little brother" Klaus corrected her instantly; Kol was his little brother which made him all the more protective. "Which is the reason I don't want him involved" The thought that something could happen to him had been playing on Klaus's mind, his entire family was unstable right now and he knew nothing of what anyone was thinking. "I do hope they leave soon"

"I find that unlikely" Cami lifted her head to look him in the eyes, her eyebrow quirked. "Have you heard from Marcel, he has been gone since they arrived?"

"We spoke briefly yesterday, only for him to remind me of the council charity event we are suppose to host tomorrow night"

That piece of news surprised Cami; she tapped his chest with her fingers. "I wasn't aware we were hosting a party"

Klaus ran his fingers through her blonde hair. "I have been trying to cancel it, yet Marcel insists it will be a good way for me to integrate into the council again"

"Then I should go shopping for a dress unless you would prefer I stay here and try to talk your siblings into leaving?"

"No" Klaus spoke almost immediately; he wanted Cami as far away from his family as possible. He wouldn't admit out loud but the thought that they could turn her against him had crossed his mind more than once, it was a bit terrifying to feel as though he could lose her. "You should go, take Davina with you. Shop for a dress, perhaps some school supplies.

"I am not going to school"

Klaus smirked at the sound of Davina's voice coming from a few rooms away, he ignored her protest. She would be going despite what she thought because it would benefit her. "As much as it pains me to say it, I would prefer if you were both out of the house today" Usually he would have them close but he needed them apart from his family. He placed his fingers under her chin and tilted her head, his lips grazing against hers.

Cami smiled against his lips. "You do not need to protect us"

"Of course I must, it is my job" He pulled away from her, his ears picked up the sounds of his siblings hushed voices. "You must get ready"

 **...**

Apart from Rebekah Klaus had seen neither Elijah nor Freya since they arrived. He had stayed in the sanctuary of his bedroom to avoid them yet it seems they had taken it upon themselves to have breakfast cooked and they were indeed sitting around his dining room table when he entered.  
He had to simply stand and stare for a moment unsure of how to approach the situation before him, they did not need to stay, he had no doubt that they would want to return to Hayley and Hope. His heart clenched at the thought of his daughter. He would never be used to the idea of her thinking of Elijah as her father.

"Niklaus"

Klaus looked at Elijah his head tilted. "No need to be pleasant brother, should you not be on your way. I do not recall inviting you to breakfast.

"We should talk" Freya was the next to speak, placing her glass of water onto the table. She had spent every moment with Elijah during his hallucinations, having time to think over everything and she wanted a few moments to explain to Klaus their side, to make him understand that all they did was for Hope.

"Klaus, we are leaving" Cami came around the corner with Davina and Kol, whom snarled at the sight of his siblings.

Klaus turned to look at them. "Be safe, a couple of Marcel's vampires will keep watch from a distance" He gave he a chase kiss. "I love you" He told her ensuring a round of gasps from his siblings that were seated around the table, he was almost sure that they thought he would never be capable of finding love.

"I love you too" Cami reassured him, somehow she had felt that he was worried that she didn't love him enough.

Klaus turned to look at Davina, intent on wishing her a quick good-bye but he frowned when she let go of Kol and moved over to hug him tightly. "Are you alright, little love?"

Davina sighed. "Be safe, I want you to still be here when I come home"

"Don't be silly, Davina, of course I will be here" He rubbed her back gently.

"We won't harm him Davina, we just wish to speak with him" Rebekah mumbled from the table, her eyes were alight with a sense of jealously. Nik had held her like that once, yet it had been far too long since then. Jealously had been something she had dealt with often but not in a sense that she was jealous over the attention Nik gave others, now it seemed to be all that she could think about.

Davina looked over at the blond original, she wanted to smirk when she realised the look of jealously on Rebekah's face but she held it back. "You'll understand why I don't believe that. I mean you did dagger and bury him at sea leaving him to drown over and over…"

Klaus tilted the young vampire/witch hybrids chin. "Don't engage in such banter. Have a wonderful day with Camille; pick out a dress that makes you stand out like a princess"

Kol smirked at Cami. "I am never going to get used to that" He referred to the relationship between Davina and Klaus, it was not something he was expecting to see, not that it wasn't a good sight. His favourite brother and girlfriend getting along was exactly how it should be.

Cami laughed slightly. "It is a lot to take in. He was there for her when he woke up, loves her even"

Klaus could hear them speaking but paid no attention as he reached for some money he had placed in his back pocket, he grabbed a hold of it and placed it into Davina's hand. "Spoil yourselves" He spoke to Cami too.

Davina hugged him again, tighter than before. "Love you" The words were muffled into his jacket yet they appear clear enough to him.

"I love you too, now off with you"

Davina giggled, letting him go and moving back towards Kol giving him a quick kiss. "I love you"

"I love you too, darling" He reassured her as she took Cami's hand and left the house. "Now for the fun stuff" he rubbed his hands together in anticipation of what was to come.

Klaus sent Kol a warning glare. "There is nothing to speak about" He announced to them all. "You will pack, you will leave and I expect I shall never hear from you again. I take it that we understand each other"

Rebekah stared at him, shocked by the words that came from his mouth. "Nik, are you going to ask? You have barely mentioned Hope; don't you wish to know about her?"

Klaus raised his eyebrow as the words fell from Rebekah's mouth. "What is it you would like me to say, Rebekah? I think about Hope every day, I wonder about all the things I have missed. She does not know who I am, which lead me to believe if I told her the truth she would not believe me. Hope looks to Elijah as her father and quite frankly I wish to rid him of this world, yet I will not. I am under the impression if I do so Hope will be distraught at the loss of the man she thinks to be her father. I will not bring that upon her daughter"

"Niklaus"

"I do not wish to hear it Elijah"

"I do" Kol interrupted, moving out from behind Klaus. "I want to know what made them think daggering you was in the best interests of your child, not Elijah's child, yours. I want them to try and justify their actions, Nik"

"It was in Hopes best interest, we had no idea what kind of father Klaus would turn out to be"

He raised his eyebrow in Freya's direction. "You did not know him, you still do not. He would have made a great father had you bothered to give him the chance" He knew Klaus had done some drastic things over his time, evil things but from their human years til now Klaus had stepped up for him. It was true that Finn had been their mothers favourite, while their fathers had been Freya before she _**died**_ and after her dead it became Elijah, for always doing as he was told. Kol knew he was forgotten and Klaus made him feel as though he was a part of the family.

"You do not know that Kol, none of us knew what would happen"

Kol turned to look at Rebekah, his eyes alight with anger. "I do. You know nothing of the life before we became vampires, Rebekah. I was the forgotten child, our parents had their favourites and I fell under the radar, you should know how that feels. Nik was always there for me"

"He was there for me as well but it does not change who he became"

Kol shook his head. "It does not matter; it was never your decision to make. Hope is Nik's child; it was Nik's choice what role he played in her life. You took that from him" Kol was tense, his back ridged. "However it didn't stop there. Not only did you take Nik from her, you took him from Cami, Marcel, Davina…you took his from me"

"Kol" Klaus had stayed silent letting his brother speak his piece but he could see him getting worked up. "It's alright"

"No it isn't" Kol turned to his brother. "After everything you have done for them, for me, this is how they repay you. Everything I know, I thought I would have to shoulder alone when I woke up and you were gone. The bond we have, I thought I would never see again"

"Would you two please explain when you became this close?!" Rebekah erupted from the table, this was not a sight of her brothers she liked seeing, they were acting as though they were close when she thought they weren't at all.

Klaus looked over at his little sister; he almost smirked at the sight of pure jealously written across her face. It was clear that the bond between him and Kol did not sit well with her. Before this all happened, he most likely would have shrugged them both off since he had a bad image to maintain yet now he had changed. "No need for jealously Rebekah"

Rebekah stood up suddenly sending her chair scooting backwards; it caught on the rug and fell to the ground with a thud. "Stop calling me that!"

Klaus raised his eyebrow at his sister's sudden outburst, a small frown clouding his features. "It is your name"

"Call me little sister, sister, Bekah, love, sweetheart. Any of those names"

He understood what she was meaning; he did call her Rebekah though he had always mixed it up with other affectionate names. Since her return all he had done was call her Rebekah, she was taking it as a sign that she was not a worthy as Kol whom he had been calling little brother or brother. He opened his mouth to speak yet it was Kol who interrupted.

"Why should he? What are you to him Rebekah, the traitor sister whom did whatever was in her best interests? You should be nothing to him anymore. Nothing but another face in the crowd of people he once trusted. You vowed _always and forever_ , truth is you don't know what those words mean" Kol pointed at the lot of them but his eyes were on Rebekah. "He trusted you but you wished to leave him always, when you found new love all you wished to do was leave him Rebekah. Elijah, the nobel brother, came and went as he pleased. Never once wishing for Nik to break the hybrid curse" He took a deep breath, his eyes filled with rage. "He raised you Rebekah, you might have a biological father but it was not him who taught you everything you know about the world. It was not him who came to your rescue during storms. It was certainly not mother or father that you went to when you were upset or hurt. It was always Nik"

"Kol" Elijah stood up; he could see that his sister was beginning to fall apart at Kol's words. They were cutting her deep down so he jumped to his sister's defence. "It was I who came up with the idea to put him in a slumber"

"I will get to YOU" Kol snapped but he did not turn away from his sister. "Humans or vampires, Nik has done nothing but care for you, love you and protect you. He found a son in Marcel; you had to fall in love with Marcel. You are the one who brought our father to New Orleans with the intent of killing Nik and he still did not try and harm you. I would have killed you, I want to kill you. You don't deserve a brother like Niklaus. Not after everything he endured to keep you from harm"

"Kol" Klaus placed a hand on his younger brothers shoulder, Rebekah was in tears, even though Kol was right about it all. He couldn't allow it to continue. "That's enough. She's heard enough"

"Why protect her now? She doesn't deserve it. None of them do"

Klaus titled his head observing Rebekah. "No matter what Kol, she will always be our little sister and you know how I feel about her" Even though things would never be the same as he could never truly forgive her, he still felt like he had to protect her.

"Niklaus"

"I want you out of my home, out of my city, out of my life"

Elijah frowned; he had never seen his brother like this in all the years they had been together. Truth be told he thought his brother would see that Hope was the only priority, that he would want to find her immediately. "We were going to tell her eventually. Our entire plan never once excluded you from the family completely. It was only for a hundred years or so. Long enough for Hope to grow up and become the person she wants to be, not influenced by your presence or the things you have done"

"It was never your choice to make Elijah. Even if you did wake me in a hundred years, that would have been a hundred years with my daughter I would never get back. Ten years is long enough, I will never see the milestones such as her first word, her first steps, her first day of school. It was all taken from me. I want you to leave; I have a party to organise. I do not want distractions"

Rebekah wiped the tears from her eyes, trying to stop them from flowing. "Are you ever going to forgive us? We thought we were doing the right thing by Hope"

Klaus blinked, looking at Rebekah with distant expression. "No Rebekah, I don't think I can forgive you for this"

* * *

 **Thoughts?  
** **This is the previous chapter 9 & 10 combined.**

 **Much Love. x**


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

Kol frowned at the note on the desk in front of him; he immediately noticed the hand writing from the note that was left for him not long ago. The way the words read were familiar though he couldn't quiet place where from. Usually when he received something like this his first thought would be to let Nik know, his older brother would usually be the one to seek out and determine if it was a threat. This however was different, Kol felt like he didn't need to tell anyone, the note wasn't threatening at all, if anything it was warning him.

 _Stand by him tonight.  
Strong.  
Control that inner malicious manic.  
He'll need you.  
Be there. _

He readjusted his suit jacket on his shoulders, he could think about it more tomorrow. Right now he had a party to attend and guest to impress with the Mikaelson name.

 **…**

Davina tucked the lock of hair behind her ear taking one more look at the note in her hands, she wondered briefly if Kol was the one to leave the note but shook her head, if it had been him then he would have said it in person no need to write it down.

 _Tonight you'll close your eyes.  
You'll see jealously.  
Remember the last note.  
You fought for this place.  
You are his daughter.  
Tonight won't change that. _

"Davina"

The knock on the door and sound of her name being called out caught her attention and she placed the note on the table quickly. It could wait for now, whoever was sending these notes wasn't sounding threatening therefore was not an immediately need for attention.

"Coming"

She took one look at herself in the mirror and smirked with delight, this would certainly test Klaus's fathering ability.

 **/~/~/**

If there was one thing a Mikaelson knew how to do - besides killing – it was throw a party. He'd spent the last hour greeting guests, roaming from person to person enduring mindless chit chat. Now it was his turn to stand back and take a look at his surroundings.  
Entertainment came in many shapes and forms, not only did they have dancers but a live band.  
A bar that was stocked with a drink to everyone's taste.  
The food was exquisite, the most divine in the city.  
The place decorated in white, black and teal. Perfection.  
He took a deep breath, the deals might have been his idea but it was Cami who made it all become reality. She pieced the party together on short notice never once complaining.

"What do you think?"

Klaus wrapped his arm around Cami's waist as so as she reached him, pulling her close to him as he looked up at the ceiling. The white material strung from each of the balcony's conjoined in the middle, fairy lights swirling around them. "You did a wonderful job" He ran his eyes across her face. "You look ravishing tonight" He had noticed her when he first entered the room.

Cami ran her fingers along her dress; she was wearing a knee length, sleeveless lace dress with a sweetheart neck line and some white heels to match. "Aren't you a charmer" She leaned against him her hand on his chest. "You brush up quiet well yourself"

He grinned leaning down so his lips were by her ear. "Would it be to forward of me to say I am anxiously waiting the moment I can take you upstairs and rip that dress from your body"

Cami giggled, tapping his chest with her fingers. "Not to forward at all, it is exactly what I had in mind…well, except for the ripping of the dress, I quiet like it"

"I'll buy you another" He curled a finger under her chin and lifted her head as he could kiss her briefly on the lips.

Cami sighed in content as he pulled back slightly. "Am I unaware of hell freezing over?"

Klaus quirked an eyebrow confused by her question. "Pardon, love?"

Cami gave him a mocking grin. "You kissed me in public, I am wondering if hell froze over or if zombies walk the earth?"

Klaus smirked, chuckling at her. "Just showing my appreciation, sweetheart" He unwrapped his arm from her waist and placed it against the lower half of her back slowly guiding her towards the bar. He his eyes scanned the crowd of people landing on his siblings who stood on the other side of the room. He didn't know how else to word it other than they were not wanted in his house. He had told them to leave yet they stood among the people as though they were welcomed guests. It irritated him beyond belief; he had thought they would return to Hayley and Hope, he winced at his daughter's name. Elijah had tried to seek him out to speak about the young girl but Klaus had avoided him at all costs. Elijah would never be able to earn forgiveness.

"Don't worry about them, enjoy tonight after all this is you returning as leader to your kingdom"

Klaus exhaled, he pulled his gaze away from his siblings and looked down at Cami. "They do not make it easy to enjoy a party" He was not sure how he was supposed to have a good time when they were in the same room as him, analysing his every movement as though he would crack at any moment.

"Ignore them, focus on me" Cami reached up to run her fingertips across his cheek, hoping that the contact between them would calm him down.

"Come on Nik, you used to love a good party"

"Maybe he is too old now" Davina jokingly whispered to Kol.

Klaus chuckled; trust his little witch to make him smile. "I should take offense to that" He remarked. "I see you both have finally decided to join us" He turned around fully, his hand moving to take Cami's, their fingers lacing together. "What is that?!" His eyes narrowed at the sight of Davina's dress.

"I told you he would not approve, darling"

Klaus raised his eyebrow at his brother. "You allowed her to wear such a thing?"

Kol smirked; he found the relationship between his brother and girlfriend quiet intriguing. It amused him how his young girlfriend could rile up his older brother with just a few words. "I'm her boyfriend, to me that dress is appealing. Dad duties are your area" He held up his hand to get the bartenders attention. "Wonderful party, Cami, especially since Nik gave you no notice"

Klaus ignored his younger brother, his eyes situated on Davina who stood in front of him. The dress was much to revealing for his taste, no matter how she spun her explanation she was still a teenager that he had claimed as his own daughter. She could not be seen in such an outfit among the people at the party. Vampires, witches, humans. It would not matter to any of them that she wasn't human; all they would see was a pretty young girl. "Go change your outfit"

Davina rolled her eyes, she suspected this was coming. "It is just a dress, Klaus"

"One that is not appropriate for his party. Go change, young lady"

Davina crossed her arms. "You told me to pick a dress, I did. I am not changing; I have nothing else to wear"

Cami glanced over her shoulder at Davina, her eyebrow raised. "Speaking of, that is not the dress you chose in the store Davina, I specially remember saying no to that one" She turned back as the bartender placed her drink on the bar.

Klaus narrowed his eyes at Davina who smiled innocently. "Tomorrow you and I will talk of the appropriate attire at parties that I host" He shrugged his jacket off, placing it around her shoulders giving her a stern look when she tried to squirm away. "You will wear this, _**all**_ night" He emphasised. "I suggest you listen to Camille next time she tells you no"

Kol glanced over at his brother; he had to admit this side of Nik was a side that he liked to see. One he had often seen his brother display with Rebekah. It was the protective nature in Klaus. "Nik, you are in dad mode. You are supposed to be enjoying tonight brother"

"I would be better if my brother would make sure my daughter didn't attend a party in an outfit that would attract every man in the room" He raised his eyebrow at Kol. "You shall be beside her all night"

"Of course I will" He wrapped his arm around Davina's waist. "You trust me don't you; no harm will come to Davina"

Klaus smiled slightly, it was faint but it was there. "I trust you, Kol, always"

Cami placed her hand against Klaus's chest once more. "Dance with me?"

Klaus looked slightly horrified; Cami had never seen him dance before. "Love…"

"Nik, please"

Klaus sighed, hearing that name fall from her lips made him shiver and the pleading eyes made him realise that he could not deny her what she wished. "Alright, one dance, love" He placed his hand on her back and guided her towards the dance floor, pulling her close to his chest when they were situated.

Cami smiled at him, placing her arms around his neck. "Enjoy the moment, Klaus"

He leaned is head against hers, swaying them along to the music. "Do you remember love, that first party you attended here at the compound?"

Cami hummed. "I remember. I thought you were Rebekah's date only to realise how wrong I was, your sister is still quiet the bitch"

Klaus chuckled. "That is true. You were dancing with Marcel that night and I could not peel my eyes from you. The thought of another man touching…"

"I'm yours" Cami interrupted him as he spun her then pulled her back to his chest. "It was always you. Besides any inkling I had for Marcel was simply because you compelled it to be so"

"For that I apologize" He looked down into her eyes. "It was always you" He repeated her words.

Cami leaned her head against his chest. "Good thing you'll always have me by your side"

The words that fell from her lips made his heart skip a beat, the words were spoken with such sincerity that he for once didn't feel the need to question what she was saying. "In that moment, I could only think about the empire that I wanted. The compound that was my home" The words were spoken quietly to her, everyone else chatting away engrossed in the entertainment not paying attention to the couple. "In this moment, however, my vision of the future is filled with much more" He pulled her a little tighter against him, his eyes wandering briefly to Kol and Davina; they were dancing on the other side of the room. "With you I see much more than just an empire, I see a legacy. One we will build together with my little brother, our daughter and my son" He leaned down lips placed against her ear. "One day, Camille, I'll make you my wife" He watched her lift her head, not in surprise but wonder.

"Is that possible? I mean, after all, we are officially dead"

Klaus chuckled at the bluntness of her words. "Anything is possible love, I'm a Mikaelson"

"I would be a Mikaelson, that would be different" She smirked as she looked up into his eyes, hers twinkling with amusement. "To think I would be the stepmother to Marcel" She couldn't help but laugh. "It is quiet the twist this family"

"Don't expect me to call you mother" Marcel teased as he wandered through the last few people, noticing Klaus's look immediately. "I'm late, I am aware. We have a slight issue…" He scratched the back of his neck nervously. "I tried to call you, you didn't pick up"

"What is it?" Klaus was aware that a hint of annoyance was portrayed in his voice; his son had interrupted a dance.

"I caught her scent in the quarter, along with that of your bloodline" He was able to detect the scent, not as well as a werewolf would have been able to but enough for him to be sure. "They're here"

"Who…"

"Klaus?!"

Klaus froze in the moment, his body tensing as his hands fell away from Camille's body. He had never expected to hear her voice again, had made peace with the idea that he would not seek out Hope. His eyes darted around the crowd seeking out the face that would be familiar and there she stood by the staircase, the mother of his biological child. She was staring at him with a ghostly white complexion and he realised that in the mist of everything that had happen none of his siblings had informed Hayley that he had awoken.

Cami followed his gaze with her eyes, immediately taking his hand in hers, squeezing gently in comfort. This was the moment she was sure Klaus had been waiting for.

"Mom, who is Klaus?"

It angered him yet at the same time he could not help the shock that radiated through his body, he had known that she was unaware of him but hearing it was confirmation. His eyes drifted down to the little figure standing at Hayley's right side and his heart felt like it was beating a million miles an hour inside his chest, ready to pop out at any moment. He studied her features, taking in every aspect of her. Ten years ago she had just been a baby inside of Hayley, how things had changed and even from a distance he could see that she held a little bit of him inside of her eyes. Hope was all that he pictured and more, this was his daughter.  
Yet it was the words that she had spoken moments ago that had his blood running cold. _"Mom, who is Klaus?"_ He had not expected her to know who he was but somehow the words being spoken out loud felt like someone had plunged a stake into his heart and they still stood above him twisting it in.

"I tried to call…"

"Is that Hope?" Davina whispered interrupting the words coming from Marcel's mouth. Her hands immediately gripped Kol's jacket pulling him closer to her. Klaus's biological daughter was walking towards them, and she wanted to be happy that the ten year old was home, she did, but she couldn't quench the jealously that was slowly rising within her. As much as Klaus was trying to be a parental figure towards her this was his biological daughter and his love for her was going to mean all attention would be on her.

"Mom, you're staring"

Hayley couldn't help but ignore her daughter as they came to stop mere feet in front of Klaus. She thought he was buried, that she had years before he would be awakened and she would need to explain herself. There were no words for her to say that would make up for what they had done; her hybrid senses seemed to be tingling waiting for his rage to erupt in an outburst. Why had Elijah not warned her that Klaus was awake and walking amongst the living? He should have told her, it would have given her a chance to run with Hope; instead she was left standing in front of him which was very risky.

"Mom, hello, are you okay? Do you want me to get dad?"

Klaus flinched at the sound of the word _dad_ leaving Hope' mouth, she was so close yet so far away. She knew nothing of him. "Hayley" He spoke her name with a screen of fake confidence, rage was bubbling inside of him and he squeezed Cami's hand as an act to calm himself. He would not act like an animal in front of Hope, scaring her before he even had the change to meet her officially.

Hayley stared at him not knowing what to say, she had no words or him. A flash of movement caught her eye, Elijah; she almost wanted to sink to the floor in relief. He would be able to keep Klaus calm, the party was still going on around them. They could not have a family meltdown in the middle of the room. "Hope…"

"Dad" Hope caught Elijah's figure out of the corner of her eye, immediately dropping Hayley's hand and launching herself in her father's direction.

Elijah stumbled, caught off guard by Hope's sudden enthusiasm, reminded that it was the first time he had been away from her. He looked over her shoulder at Klaus whose jaw was clenched in anger; everyone else was silent like they did not know what to say. Rebekah and Freya were stood behind him but Hayley was just to the side looking like a deer caught in headlights. In the mix of everything going on he had forgot to warn her. "Hope" Elijah whispered her name gently as he unwrapped his arms from around her.

"Dad, who are these people? Mom won't stop staring?" Hope looked at Elijah with curious eyes. "Why do you all look surprised?"

Kol cleared his throat, he wanted nothing more than to tear the house apart and find the bullets Cami had hidden. He wanted to kill Elijah; he could see the love in Hope's eyes and knew that it would be tearing Niklaus in half. Yet he knew if he hurt anyone of them that it would in turn hurt Hope and Nik would be displeased. "I am Kol Mikaelson, you must be Hope" He greeted her politely unsure if she would know who he was.

Hope grinned, not seeming to notice the tension. "Kol? Like my Uncle Kol?"

"That is me, little darling"

Hope tilted her head to look at Klaus. "Then who are you?"

Klaus blinked, he wanted nothing more than to shout out that he was her father. It had taken all the strength in him not to lash out when she called Elijah _dad_ , it had taken every ounce of him to fight the want to rip Elijah's head off his shoulders. He held Cami's hand tightly in his as a way to stay sane and grounded. Here she was standing in front of him, his daughter and he could feel the bond between them tugging at his heart and he had to wonder if she felt it too. He did hope that she could, that the small tug would want to pull them closer.

"This is my brother Nik" Kol spoke when no one else seemed to want to speak.

Hope grinned. "So you're my Uncle? How come I've never heard of you?" She looked at her mother briefly before turning back to Klaus. "Nice to meet you Uncle Nik"

* * *

 **Thoughts?  
** **Please take the time to remember that Klaus is different in this Fanfiction so he didn't go ripping off anyone's heads in this chapter but he can't. Hope is 10 and if Klaus claimed to be her father and then ripped off Elijah's head (The only father she has ever known) chances are she would never speak to him again (And they are in the middle of a party). This wasn't the right chapter for him to lose his mind, so I am approaching this a little differently.**

 **Reviews:  
Dee: Thank-you for all the reviews! Honestly so happy that you love the chapters.  
Guest: It is a bit sad for Klaus, however I don't think things are about to get any better.  
Guest: Glad to hear you loved it. **

**Much Love. x**


	13. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

 _Hope grinned at him. "So you're my Uncle? I've never heard of you. Uncle Nik, it is nice to meet you"_

 _Freya stared at her niece, holding her breath as she listened to the words escape the ten year olds mouth. A part of her was relieved that the spell she had cast had worked. If the young girl had heard anything about Klaus in the previous years she remembered nothing in this moment. However, a small piece of her heart twinged knowing that Hope did indeed know nothing of her biological father._

 _Klaus stared at her; the words she spoke had penetrated through his heart._ _ **Uncle**_ _. His eyes flickered to Hayley and then to Elijah, one look at his brother and he knew that if he didn't leave that he would do something to them. Rip off Elijah's head, bite Hayley and hope that both of them died. He knew the rage was going to bubble over if he had to stare at their faces and it was something that Hope shouldn't be around to see. He blinked, letting go of Cami' hand, he stalked away from the group._

" _Niklaus' Elijah called out his brother's name, his facial features filled with concern and remorse._

 _Klaus did not turn around as he stalked through the crowds of people. He wanted to see the face of his daughter and study her features but he knew if he turned around he wouldn't be able to walk away again, so he walked faster before disappearing in a blur._

 _Kol let go of Davina. "Stay with Cami, don't leave her side" He knew that his brother would kill him if anything happened to Davina. "Marcel" He tilted his head indicating for the vampire to follow him._

 _Davina grabbed onto Cami's hand. "He…"_

 _Cami brushed her free hand through Davina's hair. "Is going to be fine. Kol and Marcel will find him and bring him home"_

" _Did I do something wrong?"_

 _Hayley grabbed Hope in a hug, crushing their bodies together. She breathed a sigh of relief, relief that she was unharmed and still with her daughter. However she knew that this was not the end, Klaus would go into revenge mode after what had been said. "You did nothing wrong, sweetheart" She let her gaze flicker up to Freya. "Take Hope to a hotel, it's past her bed time" In other words Hayley was saying that Hope did not need to be around to witness the commotion that would be caused upon Klaus's return._

 _Cami who had been watching the scene let her eyes wander over Hayley and Elijah. "I swear if anything happens to him, I will let Kol have those bullets. I will allow him to put an end to your lives"_

 **/~/~/**

"Aunt Freya did I say something wrong? Uncle Nik looked very angry"

Freya winced as the name left Hope's lips again; she had never expected the ten year old to call him that. Nothing was as though she expected it to be. Niklaus was not meant to be awake and Hope was not meant to have met him yet. The family was going to be torn apart but the revelation that she knew would eventually come to light. "No sweetie, of course you didn't"

Hope blinked, unsure of the answer. "Does Uncle Nik hate me?"

Freya fought back the flinch at Hope's innocence words. "No, of course not, why would you think that?" If there was one thing Freya was sure of it was that Klaus would never be able to hate Hope, that much she was certain of.

Hope shrugged. "He didn't even say hello. How come you never talk about him? Aunt Bex and dad doesn't either"

Freya bit her bottom lip. "I don't know him very well. I am only his half-sister; we did not meet for many years"

"What about Auntie Bex? Why doesn't she talk about him? She told me about Uncle Kol"

Freya leaned forward and brushed the girl's hair out of her eye, smiling slightly. "Your Auntie Bex has a complicated relationship with Niklaus. It is nothing for you to worry about"

"Do you think he will want to see me again?"

"I should think so" She leaned down and kissed her nieces forehead. "Time for sleep, I love you Hope"

"I love you too, Auntie Freya"

Freya watched Hope roll over, tugging her blankets all the way up to her chin. They had done it all for her but Freya had seen Klaus with Davina, even with Kol and she was just beginning to realise that perhaps she didn't know Klaus as well as she thought she did. She knew him through stories but not experiences. If this had all been a mistake then how would they fix what they had done?

/~/~/

Uncle Niklaus.  
Uncle Klaus.  
Uncle Nik.

He picked up two rather large rocks throwing them through the windows of the warehouse, a bottle of bourbon swinging in his hand. Every way he thought about it, every way he said it made him cringe and shutter with rage. He was not her Uncle yet it was how she had interpreted it, those words had hurt him more then he thought was imaginable. Those words should never have left her mouth, she should have said **dad**. He wanted to kill Elijah, Hayley – hell he would kill Freya if it made him feel better than he did now. He wanted to rage through the city and destroy everything in his path. The anger he felt knew no bounds. But he knew by hurting them or letting his inner monster out, he would in turn hurt hope and that was last thing he wanted to do.  
Despite what his family believed he loved his children. He was different since waking up and though it had never been his intention to hurt Hope anyway.

"Nik, we've been looking for you" Kol and Marcel jumped over the rocks that were blocking their path.

Klaus stared out at the water beneath the dock he was standing on, he didn't bother to turn back and face Kol and Marcel. It wasn't their fault how things had gone but he did not wish to speak with anyone about it. "I wish to be left alone"

"Klaus, Hope doesn't know who you are. To her normal is thinking you are her Uncle. We will change it, fix it"

Klaus turned around to look at Marcel, his son. "Fix what? She does not know me as her father, unless Elijah is out of the picture she will always see him that way"

"Oh" Kol rubbed his hands together. "Is this the part where we hatch a plan to kill our brother? I am game for that"

Nik narrowed his eyes at Kol. "As much as I wish for that it isn't an option. Not while Hope loves him"

Marcel leant again one of the large boulders. "What is it you want to do to him then? Do we need to dagger him?"

"NO!" Klaus thundered causing the men behind him to jump. No one understood the dagger was not an option, he could not dagger them anymore since he experienced what it was like. He did however realise that if they were daggered they were put to sleep, where as when he was daggered he was still semi conscious.

Kol could see it, his brother was breaking. "Marcel, I need a few minutes with Nik"

Marcel looked over at Kol, before standing up. For many reasons Klaus was certain Kol and Marcel didn't see eye to eye, and while they had their differences he would always be grateful to Kol for what he did do many years ago. "We'll fix this Klaus" He mumbled to his father once more before leaving, the best thing he could do now was go back to the compound and check on Davina and Cami.

Kol approached his brother, stepping up beside him to look out at the water. "Nik"

"I'm not in the mood Kol"

Kol rolled his eyes. "I am not leaving, so I suppose we should talk. She will always be your daughter"

"She does not know she is my daughter. I want to kill them yet I know I can't. Tell me little brother, what am I meant to do? I cannot forgive them"

"I do not suggest that you do"

"I wanted to banish them from my life, now that Hope is here, I cannot allow them to leave"

Kol nodded, he knew all of what Klaus was telling him. "They should tell her the truth"

"To have her whole world fall down before her?" Klaus quirked his eyebrow. "I know what that is like Kol, no child should have to deal with the news that their father is not who he says" Klaus had not found out about the truth of his parentage until after his transformation and yet it was still not easy to learn that the person you call father is not your father at all. It was a horrible feeling and he had taken his anger out on many people through the years, his own family even. He had done terrible things. He did not wish that for Hope yet at the same time it broke him to know that she would never know him as her father.

"We would be there to catch her Nik, just like I was there for you" Kol placed his hand on his brother's shoulder. "You must trust me when I say she will one day know that she is your daughter. That I will not rest until she calls you father. Trust me, Niky"

Klaus stared at his brother; he had not heard that nickname from Kol in many years. "I trust you little brother.

"Then I believe we have family to speak with"

"Not yet"

"Nik" Kol sighed, not ready to have to argue with Klaus about returning home.

Klaus chuckled at the look on Kol's face. "First I need a drink or ten"

"More bourbon?"

"I was thinking more along the lines of human"

/~/~/

"How could you forget to tell me that Klaus has awakened?" Hayley shouted at Elijah, running her hand through her dark hair trying to keep her shaking hands busy. "I would never have brought Hope to New Orleans. Do you understand what this means?"

Rebekah rubbed her temples, Hayley had been yelling since Freya had left with Hope. "Hayley, please stop shouting"

"No. Your brother is going to kill us all which will leave Hope with no one other than him to raise her" the thought of losing Hope to Klaus was crushing her from the inside, her daughter was the only person in the world that matted to her. She would give her own life for Hope's, the thought that Klaus would tell her the truth and take her terrified Hayley.

Elijah placed his hand on Hayley's shoulder only for her to shrug it off. "He will not harm us. Kol wanted to kill us; it was Niklaus who stopped him. It will all work out in the end, I promise"

"This was your idea"

"Actually Hayley wasn't it your and Freya's idea?" Rebekah piped up, speaking for the first time since Klaus's departure. Hayley looked absolutely distraught at the idea that Klaus was indeed walking among the living once more. "I for one hope Nik can find it in his heart to forgive us. There is no possible way he will allow us to leave with Hope now an I for one cannot spend the rest of my existence being hated by him" She wished that Nik would forgive her, she hated watching him with Kol and Davina, constantly being reminded of the relationship she had once shared with him.

"Forgive you?" Davina scoffed at the thought. "I hope he never forgives you. You stole from him the one person in the world that he loved more the himself. He would have died for Hope and you took her from him"

Elijah turned at the sound of Davina's voice. "You do not understand, Miss Claire, Hope's safety…"

"Bullshit" Davina glared, cursing at him. "Hope's safety was not at risk. You've seen how he has changed, how he acts. He would never harm her"

"Davina"

"You did this!" Davina continued to rant at them ignoring Cami. "You brought this upon yourselves, you made the selfish decision. If he leaves, if he turns dark and I lose him, that is on you. If he turns back into the man he was, I will kill you all. Kol's help or not. I won't lose him because of your selfish desire to build a family without him" Davina felt Cami's hand on her shoulder, but she attempted to shrug it off.

"Davina, that is enough"

"Not it isn't" Davina pointed to him. "When will you realise that it was never in the best interests of Hope, you did this for yourselves. Rebekah, you have always wished for a life without Klaus looking over your shoulder. Elijah wanted Hayley, Hayley wanted Elijah. Freya wanted to eliminate Klaus so that she had a place within the family. So together they daggered him, you see, it was always for themselves, so that they could have the perfect family"

Hayley scowled at the teenager. "You nearly died because of him. How could you possibly be defending him?"

"I nearly died because of you! Not Klaus. You wanted my help to protect Hope from Dahlia, if Klaus hadn't feed me his blood before I cast the spell then the power of it would have sucked the life out of me" Davina had tears running down her cheeks at the memory of Klaus saving her. "I can't lose the person who looks after me because of you. Hope shouldn't have to lose her father twice"

 _Klaus blurred to stand in front of Davina breaking her concentration. He hadn't been to see her in over a week, it was unusual since Kol's passing he usually made the effort to see her at least once a week sometimes multiple times but his mind had been revolving around Dahlia but he heard Hayley. "I won't let do this. The spell will kill you"_

 _Davina raised her eyebrow, shocked by his sudden presence. He seemed to show up in the most unpredictable moments, acting as though he cared but sometimes she doubted him he truly did. Their relationship was still not something she completely understood. "It is to save Hope. Hayley…"_

 _Klaus shook his head, grabbing her arms gently. "We will find another way, I will not sacrifice you. Kol loves you Davina, you are family. I will not let you die" He wasn't sure when he started to feel this way, he was protective over her. It was wrong, he was meant to hate her but Kol loved her, his little brother loved her._

 _There was no way to save Hope and still live, it wasn't possible. She looked up into his eyes seeing the fear; it was unusual for him to fear anything. He was the original hybrid, the thing people feared. The monster that lurked in the shadows. "Feed me your blood" The words escaped her mouth before she even knew what she was saying._

 _"_ _Pardon"_

 _"_ _If I take your blood, if I die then I will at least still be here. I can continue my work. So give me your blood" It was more demanding, it had not been the first thought of her mind. Turning into a vampire had never been part of her life plan but it would mean she would still live, she could find a way to bring Kol back. It would just mean that someone else would have to complete the magic._

 _Klaus's hands dropped from her arms, seeing the innocence written all over her features accompanied by the determination. "I will not allow you to become this" He was a monster, he knew that but he would not allow her to become him._

 _"_ _So you don't wish for me to die but you will not give me your blood so I can live. It makes no sense Klaus!"_

 _"_ _Why are you doing this?" It couldn't have been that simple, she could not simply want to save Hope. She had no connection to the child._

 _Davina turned away from him, this little girl was innocent, she was Kol's niece and Klaus's daughter. It was reason enough to want to keep her alive but he wouldn't understand that. He wouldn't understand that somehow they had bonded over the death of Kol and now she felt the need to help him. "If I don't you'll lose her. Hope. It'll break you. I know what it is like to lose someone you love, besides Hayley said…"_

 _"_ _What did Hayley say?" Klaus felt the anger spike within him, Hayley the manipulative bitch she was. He wondered what Elijah saw in her, in truth she was always raving about the right way to do things then when in fact anything she did was for herself not Hope._

 _Davina turned back to him. "It doesn't matter" She told him, the determination clouding her eyes. Her hands gripping the front of his jacket. She wondered how they got here, how they came to be so close. "Don't let me die, Klaus, I don't want to die"_

 _He felt like his heart was tearing, he wished for nothing more than to protect Hope but he did not wish it to be at the expense of Davina. "I will never let you die, Davina, you're my family" He bit into his wrist. "This is immortality, this is forever"_

 _"_ _I understand. It is not want I wanted but I do not wish to die" As those last words left her lips she placed her mouth over his wound and drank his blood._

 _"Can you explain? When did you nearly die?" Rebekah raised her eyebrow at the ex-witch._

 _The stunned Davina to learn that Hayley and Freya had not mentioned that in order to protect Hope from Dahlia she would have died, she supposed the reason they didn't mention it was because of the bad spotlight it would put them in. They had been willing to sacrifice her life and if she had disagreed they would have forced her to._

 _"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?!"_

"Klaus" Hayley was the first to breathe his name.

Klaus ignored her, his eyes were focused on Davina who was standing in the middle of everyone with tears rolling down her cheeks, it was not the state he had left her in. "Little love" He walked across the room followed by Kol. "What happened?" The only response that he received was Davina burying her head into his chest, the tears damping his shirt.

"She thought there was a possibility that she would lose you to the darkness" Cami explained, leaning up to wipe the blood from Klaus cheek. "I'm glad to see you are safe" Inside she had been frantic with worry when he left but she knew that it could not show in those moments, that being strong was a choice she had.

Klaus rubbed Davina's back, his eyes still on Cami. "I always intended to come home" He told her before focusing back on the teenager in his arms. "I would never leave you, Davina. Come now, look at me" He coaxed her.

Davina shook her head against his chest. "I want to hurt them. Dagger them. Kill them. Leave them to rot in the garden. I hate them all"

Kol snarled at his family. "I thought we were family, yet first you hurt Nik and now Davina"

"Kol"

"Shut up, Elijah. I cannot tolerate another moment of you three and Freya thinking you have done Hope a favour. How do you think that child is going to feel when she learns the truth of how her mother lied to her, of how her Uncle took her father's position?"

"Kol, enough" Klaus warned his brother as he gently untangled himself from Davina. "You must understand, I will not choose darkness over my family. Not any longer" He tilted her chin so that their eyes met.

"I can't lose you" Davina sniffled.

"You will never lose me" He glanced over at Cami. "Can you take her upstairs, she doesn't need to be here for this?"

"No" Davina shook her head stubbornly. "I am not leaving you alone with them"

"Great, now she thinks we are going to harm him again" Rebekah sighed, looking at the scene of the brother she had grown up cherishing hugging Davina, a part of her hurt at the sight.

Cami raised her eyebrow. "What do you expect Rebekah, you are the reason for all this grief"

Hayley looked at the blonde, really acknowledging for the first time that she was in the room. "You're a vampire…and you're with Klaus?"

"I am" Cami confirmed, her voice holding an air of confidence. "I love him"

"Love him. You cannot possibly love a man like him, what happened to you thinking he was a psychopath?" Hayley couldn't believe this, he had been daggered and placed under the ocean to protect Hope and yet somehow he had wound up with Davina and Cami wrapped around his fingers. It wasn't right; it was not supposed to turn out like this.

Kol blurred forwards shoving Hayley backwards. "Nik deserves love as much as Elijah"

Hayley growled shoving Kol back from her body. "It is not Elijah who is named evil. Why do you stand by him, Rebekah nor Elijah can"

Kol glared at her, his eyes narrowed with anger. "I stand by him because I am the only one who knows the truth about him. I know who made him this way. I know that despite what you may think, Klaus would never harm his children as harm was brought to him"

"What are you talking about brother?" Elijah asked curiously, knowing there was obviously a story behind the words that Kol had spoken.

"I am talking about what M…"

"Enough!" Klaus roared making Kol snap his head in his brother's direction. "I trust you Kol but you are aware of the rules" He did not ever want the truth about his past to erupt. "Davina, I want you to go with Cami. I will come see you shortly" He promised her, though he could see by the tears in her eyes that she didn't believe him. Truth be told he wanted her to leave the room because he didn't want her to witness whatever came next, so he was relieved when Davina allowed Cami to take her hand and pull her from the room.

"Finish the sentence Kol!" Rebekah demanded to know what Kol was going to say.

Klaus glared at his brother. "You and I will talk about this later. Do you understand?" His voice was stern with a deadly air to it, and Kol nodded immediately, he knew he had overstepped his mark when it came to Klaus's past, it as something his older brother never intended to share with their family. "If I had it my way I would rip your bloody head from your shoulders and roll it down the middle of the French quarter" Klaus glared at Elijah. "Uncle Nik?! I AM NOT HER UNCLE, I AM HER FATHER, HER BIOLOGICAL FATHER" He thundered at the group that stood before him.

"Niklaus, brother…"

"NO ELIJAH! ENOUGH OF THIS, I DO NOT WISH TO HEAR EXPLANATIONS!" He shoved his brother backwards in a burst of rage. "You stole my child, MY CHILD! I want to kill you, and believe my words when I say that I am not alone in that wish but I know that I cannot because Hope loves you"

"We are sorry, brother"

Klaus shoved Elijah back into the brick wall, his hand wrapped around Elijah's neck "I do not want excuses or apologies"

"Klaus, I…we were doing what was best for Hope. Just as you would have done if you were in my position. She doesn't know you, she knows Elijah, he is raising her to be a good nobel woman"

The glare Klaus sent Hayley was one of death, his eyes turned yellow at the thought of sinking his teeth into her. "She does not know me because of a choice you made! I wanted them gone from my home and city, I gave them an option to return to you and Hope but they chose to stay"

"Brother"

Nik tightened his grip around Elijah's neck. "And now I cannot allow you to leave with Hope again. I will not lose my daughter because you are selfish. I want Freya to bring her back immediately"

Rebekah blinked, she was looking at Kol. He had gone quiet since Klaus had reprimanded him. "I want to know what you were going to say, I want to know what you are hiding?"

Niklaus dropped his hand from Elijah's neck. "It is not a discussion that we will have Rebekah" He warned his little sister, the darkness clouding his expression as he turned to Kol. "We need to speak"

"That's it? You aren't going to kill us?" Hayley stared at him, unsure of the motive behind his actions. Surely this was a tactic of some kind, some evil plot before he was attack them.

Klaus glanced over his shoulder, he blurred the distance between them, yanking her head back by her hair and sinking his teeth into her neck moaning with satisfaction. "A little bite, let's hope you live though the night"

Elijah blurred over to Hayley catching her body as she stumbled backwards, a hand on her neck and terrified look clouding her features. "Niklaus, you must feed her your blood immediately. You cannot let her die"

Klaus stared at the woman before him, the mother of his child. He might not be able to kill her but he could make her suffer. "I have no intention of giving her my blood right now"

Rebekah eyes flickered between Kol and Klaus, she knew her attention should have been on Hayley but something wasn't right. Her brothers were hiding something from her. What had Kol wanted to tell them, what had Klaus stopped him from staying; she wanted to know the truth. "Nik, I want too…"

Klaus ignored her, staring at Hayley. "You deserve this and much more. My daughter didn't deserve to have me ripped from her life. I did not deserve this, no matter what I have done, nothing amounts to the pain you have caused" He turned to Elijah. "I want Hope back in this house by the time the sun rises. I'll kill you before I let you leave with her again"

* * *

 **Thoughts?**

 **I apologize for not replying to everyone, things have been a little hectic and I haven't had a chance too. I do hope you all enjoy this though.**

 **Much Love. x**


	14. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

 _Nik. Niky. Wake up, please, Niky, wake up"_

 _Niklaus blinked, he was exhausted from the_ session _with his father but he tried his hardest to focus on the voice that was enticing him from his sleep. At first he could not help but wonder who had found him, who was staring at him lying in the dirt with belt marks across his back but wonder was soon replaced with fear. Fear that someone now new the nature of his relationship with Mikael._

" _Niky, please! I'll get mama"_

" _No" The word came out in a croaked whisper, the name, Niky; only one person called him that. Kol. Relief. Kol. Not Rebekah nor Elijah, Kol. Sorrow. His baby brother had witnessed it. "Stay" He breathed._

 _The seven year old knelt by his brother's head, face full of distress at the scene had witnessed. "Your hurt, mama, mama will make it better"_

 _Klaus used his unsteady hands to slowly push his weak body into the sitting position. Kol nudging his brothers shoulder gently as if to help him when he realised that Klaus looked like he was going to fall over. "I'm okay" It was true, he had endured a lot worse_

 _Tears still evident in Kol's eyes as he whimpered. "No, you're bleeding. Father was very mean, we must tell mama"_

 _Klaus smiled weakly, he was not used to such concern for his wellbeing. "No, brother, you must not tell mother or our siblings" He reached out to wipe away the tears that were rolling down Kol's cheeks. "Do not cry"_

" _You're hurt"_

" _I'll be fine" Klaus promised, yet the distressed look did not vanish from Kol's face. "What are you thinking about?"_

 _Kol's bottom lip trembled. "Did father hit you because I took his knife?"_

 _Niklaus knew he could not lie to Kol, the boy had heard what their father had said. "He did"_

" _You should tell him it was me"_

" _No" Nik's voice rose slightly, reaching out to tilt his brothers chin so their eyes connected. "You tell no one. I am the one who took fathers knife" He grabbed the knife from the floor beside Kol. "You must keep this a secret"_

 _Kol frowned, shaking his head, the tears still welling in his eyes. "No. Mama, we have to tell, Mama"_

" _No. Mother cannot help with this" He was well aware of the threats his father made, he would do nothing to risk the lives of his family. "You must promise me, brother, you must promise you will keep this secret"_

" _Niky"_

" _Kol, this is very serious. Promise me" Klaus held Kol's gaze, he was stern. He could not let Kol speak a word of what he saw to anyone._

 _Kol bit his bottom lip, nodding his head. "I promise you, Nik"_

 _Klaus breathed a sigh of relief, ignoring the pain from his back as he pulled his younger brother into a hug. "I trust you, little brother, you can never tell anyone"_

Klaus paced across his bedroom floor, his entire body was tense. He could hear the moans and groans coming from Hayley whom Elijah and Rebekah were tending to. He wanted nothing more than to end her life but he could not. And then there was Kol, standing before him silently. Klaus could not remember the last time he felt anger towards his younger brother; it was a rare emotion felt when it came to Kol. "Do you remember the promise you made when you witnessed that incident?"

Kol nodded. "Yes"

Klaus kept pacing along the floor. "I told you I trusted you, do you wish for me to regret that decision?"

"No" Kol looked up at his older brother. "I simply wanted them to stop; if they knew the truth behind everything then perhaps they would look at you differently. They would see the kind of father you could be"

"No" Klaus stopped, turning to face his brother. "I do not want their pity" He could image how Rebekah would react if she found out all that had happened to him, all that had been done to keep her safe. "I do want for them to look at me with eyes full of sorrow"

"It's been kept a secret for a thousand years, is it not bound to come out at some point in our existence?"

"You and I are the only two that know the truth. You are the only one I trust with this information. If they do find out, it means it came from you and I won't ever be able to trust you again" Klaus took a deep breath. "You're my little brother Kol, you were never meant to witness what you did, but you cannot unsee the past. I've ask you to keep this to yourself and I know it is difficult…"

Kol frowned. "You are the one who endured it all. Keeping one secret is not as difficult as what you went though. I did not mean for his name to almost slip through my lips, I just get worked up when it comes to thinking about everything they have done"

Klaus walked forward, placing his hands on Kol's shoulders. "This is my battle, not yours. I only wish that you keep an eye on Davina and Cami when I am not around, I need your help with that"

"We fight our battles together, we are Mikaelsons"

Klaus smirked at that, Kol would stand by him through anything, it was true loyalty shown from his brother. "I appreciate your loyalty Kol but their betrayal is something I must deal with" He tilted his head in the direction of the door, it flung open and Davina came blurring into the room and straight into him almost knocking him over. "Davina"

"You said you would be upstairs shortly" She mumbled into his chest showing her vulnerability.

Klaus rubbed her back, he did not ever think that he would be used to this. "Sorry love, I had to speak with Kol"

Kol chuckled at his girlfriend's dirty look, she was clearly not happy by the knowledge that he had kept Klaus from her. "Sorry darling, he is all yours now"

"Are you going to let her die?"

Klaus knew he could no kill Hayley no matter what she had done, Hope would never forgive him for doing so, yet it did not stop him from biting her. It was impulsive but she deserved the pain it would bring. "I cannot let her die, though I wish it was different" He gave Cami a half smile when she entered the room followed by Marcel.

"Where do we go from here Klaus?"

It was an intriguing question, since he knew nothing of where he would go now. He knew that tomorrow he would have no choice then to heal Hayley, after that he was unsure. He would wake to find Hope within his home, yet to her he would be **Uncle**. It was not what he wished for, nor what he deserved, she should have responded to him as father like all children do. "I am going to bond with my daughter" He felt Davina grip him tighter, it confused him slightly. "Little love, everything alright?"

"I'm fine"

He frowned at her mumbled tone. "Perhaps bedtime for you, you start school tomorrow. Kol" He motioned to his brother.

Davina pulled back a frown crossing her features. "I am not going to school and leaving you here with family members whom would rather you dead then close to Hope" The rage lit her eyes up like fire.

Klaus raised his eyebrow, he had known Davina cared for him yet he was not aware of how much. "I will be perfectly fine. I will have Kol, Marcel and Cami here with me, besides they cannot kill me without the bullets"

"He is right, love, nothing will happen to him" Kol stepped toward his girlfriend. "I will not let them harm him"

Davina glared at Klaus and Kol, the brothers united. "I'm not going. I'm staying here and protecting you both, all of us. You cannot be serious about letting them move in, what if they find the bullets and kill you in your sleep…"

Kol snickered. "Davina, you are over thinking. We are going to be fine, nothing will happen while Hope is here. Even Elijah is not that stupid"

Klaus smirked at the look that flashed across Davina's face at the mention of Hope's name, it amused him. Never would he have thought Davina Claire would be jealous of a child. He did not intend to make a big deal over her emotions; in time she would come to him with whatever plagued her mind. "You will attend school tomorrow, it is not a negotiation. Off to bed with you, I will still be here tomorrow all limbs intact" He brushed the hair from her face, running his thumb over her cheek. "Do not frown little love, I am not going anywhere. You need a parent remember"

Davina crinkled her nose. "I'm not going to school, I refuse" She twirled around grabbing Kol's hand and heading for the door. "You better still be here in the morning or I will drag you back from wherever you are and kick your ass"

Klaus couldn't contain the chuckle at her threat and it seems neither could Cami or Marcel. It had been the first time he had laughed in a few days but the little witch knew how to lighten the mood.

 **/~/~/**

Elijah held Hayley's hand watching her shake with pain from the bite Niklaus had inflicted. He wished there was something he could do to calm his brothers inner rage yet nothing he could say would justify any of this. He despised that thought that Davina was right, it had never really been about Hope, she was an excused they used to gain their own freedom. If he had listened to Rebekah that day, if he had stopped to think instead of doing as Hayley wished then he would have realised what consequences would come of the decision.  
There was too much that he didn't understand. Kol was alive, he had figured it was Davina's doing yet he knew nothing of how. Niklaus was closer with Kol then he had ever envisioned. He couldn't deny that it hurt a little to see Niklaus care for Kol in a way that they had never cared for each other. He was not the brother Klaus had trusted most, it had always been Kol.

"Elijah, are you listening?"

Elijah frowned, turning toward his sister. "Yes sister?"

Rebekah pointed to Hayley. "We must do something. Hope will not cope if her mother dies. This is all a mess; this was not what you promised Elijah"

"Rebekah"

"You said I would be free, that I could attend high school and experience everything a teenager should. I never got the chance, and here we are again. In New Orleans with Nik whom wants to kill us. Surrounded by secrets and hate"

Elijah felt a pang of guilt when he saw the tears slide down Rebekah's cheeks. "Sister…"

"I do not wish to be here. I do not wish to see him care for Kol and Davina right before my eyes. I thought I was closer to him than any of us and yet I was wrong" Bekah wiped her tears away. "How will we justify all we have done? How will we tell Hope the truth? Most importantly how will I ever earn his forgiveness?"

Elijah glanced back at Hayley watching her chest rise and fall with a struggle. "We will fix this Rebekah; I do not know how yet I do know I will fix our family"

"How will you fix anything when it is you he despises the most?" Rebekah mumbled the question, she could not stand and watch Hayley battle for life, she turned on her heels and walked out of the room. Nothing was ever going to be the same.

She leaned against the wooden door; what if they had been wrong all along, what Kol had said downstairs had her head spinning. She wanted to know what her brothers were keeping from her, what had happened to the brother that had once cherished and loved her as though she was one of his own.  
Rebekah felt physically ill, if that were even possible for a vampire, Nik had raised her and she had broken any trust he had in her when she helped bury him in the ground. Now she had no choice but to live under his roof and watch him with Kol and Davina when it was meant to be her beside him.

"Rebekah, where is Hayley?"

Rebekah looked up startled by Freya's voice, she was walking towards her with a sleepily Hope trailing beside her. "Sleeping, Elijah is with her" She did not dare to mention the bite in front of Hope, not only would it give Klaus more reason to hate her, Hayley would not be pleased.

"Why is it you called us back?"

Rebekah bit her bottom lip; she did not know how Freya or Hope would react to the news. "We are moving in"

Hope yawned, looking at her Aunt with questioning eyes. "We are going to live with Uncle Nik?" She smiled slightly. "Maybe he does like me Aunt Freya" The girl spoke of the conversation she had had with her Aunt.

"It seems he does, sweetheart"

 **/~/~/**

 **Thoughts?**

 **Thank-you for all the reviews.  
I am sorry this took so long to get up, busy life! Enjoy. **

**Much Love. x**


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